Before the Fall of Rome
by Brooke1
Summary: *UPDATED:Chapter 16 Up!!!!!* Buffy and Xander are growing up in Sunnydale and have been best friends since forever. Starts in as AU season 1 where the group is Buffy, Xander, and Jesse; and Willow is the new girl. *Please R&R*(It's gonna be a B/X fic)
1. Before the Fall of Rome Part 1

Title: Before the Fall of Rome (1/?)

Author: Brooke 

Email: yabbadabbadome13@yahoo.com 

Rating: R

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. I wished I owned the two Xanders' from "The Replacement" though. Buffy and friends are owned by Joss, Mutant Enemy, 20th Century Fox, The UPN and whoever else has rights to the show. 

Summary: You remember all that crap that started post-puberty…yeah, it's great isn't it. It was when life started

Distribution: I don't know why anybody would want this, but if somebody does…sure. 

Feedback: Definitely!! Tell me if it sucked or if you liked it. Whatever. Just write back!

Authors Note: Takes place in an AU season 1 where Buffy and Xander are best friends and Willow is the new girl as Sunnydale High. It is the beginning of their sophomore year and, as 15 and 16 year olds, hormones and feelings are taking center stage.

"Move it! Move, move, move…" Xander weaved in and out of the crowd in front of the school, deftly dodging his fellow students on his skateboard. "Coming through! 'Cuse me…Coming through!"

It was the first day, and he, Alexander Harris, was officially a high school sophomore, and there was no stopping him. Nothing short of an apocalypse could ruin this day…for once in his 15 years of life on this planet everything would be perfect for one day, he would be perfect…

And then he saw her…

"OMPH!!!" Xander landed hard on his back after his body disentangled itself from the railing he had, oh so gracefully, rammed into. He groaned and shit his eyes, his head resting back against the pavement listening to everybody around him laugh.

Laughing at him again. Just like always.

"Harsh landing there Xan," he suddenly heard her bright voice coming from somewhere above him as he remained on the ground, hoping to be swallowed whole by the pavement.

He smiled wanly and opened his eyes, squinting against the bright California morning sun. "What are you? Kidding?" he chuckled a little and looked up at her, seeing her holding his escaped board in her hand, "I totally meant to do that. That was a patented Tony Hawk move…"

"Which part? When you flew through the air, or when your toy, here, beamed Luke Hampton in the head?" 

Xander watched her brush several strands of long blonde hair out of her face as she continued to smile at him, and for some reason his heart wouldn't slow down. That seemed to happen a lot to him recently when he got around her…especially since he went to the beach with her and her family last May for her birthday.

"Your words wound me Buff," he grinned up at her and she extended a hand to him, which he took, and she helped pull him to his feet. "I go through all that trouble learning how to skateboard just to impress you…and what do you do?"

"You learned how to skateboard because you said that rollerblading was a extreme chick sport, and did little to exacerbate your manliness…but I don't even think you can spell exacerbate, so I don't know where you got that…"

He looked sideways at his best friend as they climbed the stairs together…she was, well, as far as best friends go…hot. Xander had realized a few months ago that Buffy Summers was in fact a girl, and now that fact seemed all she could focus on. Buffy was a hot girl…she even had a hot name. Her hair was so…

"Hey, buddy. You in there?" Buffy looked at the young man confused and she waved a hand in front of his blank face.

"Huh? Oh, yeah, uh, yeah…What were you saying?" he struggled to call up some form of conversational memory, but came up empty.

"Nothing," Buffy stated, stopping in front of a bench in the quad and taking a seat, "you were just starring at me."

Xander tried to laugh and rubbed his hands down his shirt nervously before taking a seat next to her, "Sorry…I just…"

"You've just been starring a lot." Buffy cut him off. "I thought once they put a book in your hand that you brain would overload and you'd stop, but apparently I was wrong." She was trying to keep things light, just as she had been for the whole summer. Sometimes, it would be just like it was when they were kids, but recently one fact was getting harder and harder to ignore.

The fact that they weren't kids anymore.

Sometimes when they were together, she could see him…see him as a 'him'. Her best friend, that she'd had since before she could even say her own name correctly was a boy, and becoming more so by the day, and there was no getting past that. She wasn't even completely sure she would want to if she were to try, which is why it was so much easier to ignore…or at least pretend to ignore.

Buffy shook her head…this was Xander Harris she was thinking about. He of the infamous orange and purple print shirt, the ever cheesy come-on, and dorky obsession with Stat Wars or Trek…she could never tell the difference. He knew everything about her…every deep dark secret, like the time in the seventh grade when she thought she had herpes, but it was really just poison oak…and she knew all about him too. She knew about the time he had called her mom's office and sang "I Touch Myself" on her answering machine and her mom had thought it was a stalker. They had taken baths together…not recently, but as children their parents just thought they were so cute together. They were…are. They still had sleepovers…but that's not the point. It was definitely part of it, but there was more.

The point was…the beach. They had gone down to Laguna Beach about four months ago for her 15th birthday. Just Buffy's mom, dad, sister, and Xander for 4 whole days. That was when it started. 

One night they had been watching TV in her room and had fallen asleep. Perfectly innocent. But, much to Buffy's begrudging longing; they had woken up a lot closer and decidedly more holdy than they had fallen asleep. And it was different from the other times they had had sleepovers, or even slept in the same bed. There was this…feeling. 

And now things were awkward. Almost all the time, and there was really nothing she could do about it.

"Now you're starring." Xander's laugh broke through her thoughts and Buffy grinned.

"Guess we've both got some manners to work on." Xander nodded at her comment.

They continued to look at each other in silence, both wearing a gentle smile in the bright sun. Then Xander was thinking, and talking at the same time…something he hated when he did, "You're so beautiful," he said quietly and then averted his eyes, suddenly stammering with his words while Buffy just looked at him. "Oh God," he breathed facing straight ahead, "I didn't mean that…" he cast a brief glance at her out put look, "I didn't mean…I mean, you are…I just shouldn't've…"

"Thank you," Buffy said almost reverently, interrupting him, her eyes focused on the bench. 

Uncomfortable silence reigned for a few moments, both teens focused on their own thoughts before Buffy spoke again, "Listen, Xan…I…we…should…we need to…"

"X-Man, B-Rock!" A new voice interrupted their conversation and both eyes snapped up to look at the new comer. "Calm down compadres, I didn't mean to disturb your deep conversation." He said holding up his hands in defense.

"Uh…hey, Jess." Xander greeted half-heartedly. He wondered if he wanted to know what Buffy had to say, if he should thank Jesse for interrupting when he did, or strangle him for possible ruining what could have been the greatest moment of his life. "What's up?" he heard Buffy ask in the voice she used when she was trying very hard to sound interested.

"Glad you asked," Jesse started excitedly, rubbing his hands together. "Great big news, and you're hearing it here first," he raised one foot onto the bench were his friends were sitting, "There's a new girl."

Buffy looked at him for a moment when he didn't continue, "And?" she asked pointedly.

"And there's a new girl. That's all." Jesse visible deflated.

"Well, thank you for being the first to crack that case wide open Stone Phillips." Buffy rolled her eyes sarcastically and then punched Jesse in the shin when he imitated her. "You haven't even seen her." She shook her head as he friend moved to Xander's side of the bench.

"What do you think Xander?" he asked his silent friend, snapping him back into reality. 

"Huh?" he shook his head, and Buffy became transfixed with the way his hair moved in the wind. She noticed that his dark brown locks seemed to have grown a couple of inches, and she wondered when the last time he had a hair cut was. He should let her cut it for him…

"You haven't even seen her." She heard Xander state, "Until we get a visual I'm remaining in unenthused mode."

"Fine," Jesse complained, more than a little peeved at his friends attitudes, "If you don't want to help he find a potentially new hot girl, who probably needs some handsome gentlemen to escort her around campus and town then just sit here."

"Alright," Buffy agreed with him, "We will." Xander nodded at her and settled back onto the bench.

"Alright Harris," Jesse smirked ignoring Buffy, "but if she's hot, I got dibs."

"You're such a pig." Buffy scoffed at him.

"You're such a pig." Jesse fired back at her.

"Do you guys want me to leave you alone?" Xander smirked at the two of them. Ever since they all started hanging out in the fifth grade it was a known fact that Buffy and Jesse could go at it like rabid dogs for hours if left untended.

"If you do, you might never see him again." Buffy shot Jesse a glare and he grabbed his chest as if she had shot daggers at him. They were friends, but just a different kind. They were the type that loved to hate each other, and both didn't know what there life would be like if they didn't have each other as an outlet.

"You don't have to do whatever Gidget here says, Xan. Grow a pair, please." Jesse pretended to beg. "Come with me yonder to scopeth out possible hot girls."

I'm sitting next to a known hot girl Xander thought to himself casting Buffy a glance. "Whatdaya say Buff? Lets find the new girl…we could save her from Cordelia." Xander's voice was hopeful at the end of his sentence.

Jesse watched Buffy break and knew that she was game. He wonder what it was that Xander did that always got his female friend to do whatever he wanted…which left him wondering if she _had, in fact, __done whatever he wanted…He'd ask later. He had started wondering just exactly what type of friends Buffy and Xander were to each other of late._

"Then it's settled," he beamed, "Let's go…" he trailed off as he spotted a redhead enter the quad from under the stairs. She was about 5'4 and had long, almost mousy auburn hair, and was clutching several books to her chest, blocking a picture of some kind of animal on the front of her brown dress. She looked so…shy…out of place…

"I'm glad we didn't have to get up for that." Buffy commented, apparently seeing the same person Jesse had and Xander elbowed her in the side. "What?" she asked, looking at him with wide eyes, "I'm just saying…"

Xander seemed to notice the new girl, but saw Cordelia and her group doing the same. "Looks like somebody's locked and loaded," he commented to Jesse as they all watched the tall brunette cheerleader start over to the new girl with a confident stride. "We should help." He said standing up on his skateboard and starting across the open space, more than a little upset about Buffy's comment. She rarely had a serious put down for anyone and the fact that she had moated the new girl right off the bat had hurt him.

"Right behind ya, man." Jesse called out and started after Xander with Buffy beside him.

"What was with that look?" Buffy wondered out loud, starring at Xander's back through the crowd, referring to him before he started across the quad.

"What look?" Jesse asked confused, "I didn't see a look."

"He looked at me and then went to pull a Superman." Buffy shook her head.

"Maybe it was because you went SuperBitch…" Jesse said in mock contemplation, earning a glare from his companion. "What do you care anyway? It's Xander." He stated, as if that were the answer to all of life's questions. "The guy goes through moods like a chick on the rag."

"You're sick," Buffy's face turned up in disgust, "You literally make my physically ill…"

"What?" Jesse whined as Buffy walked ahead of him.

Buffy stalked up to where Xander had skated, just past where the redhead and the cheerleader were standing. They listened for a few moments as Cordelia laughed at the new girl's clothes before Xander spoke, "We need a plan."

"How 'bout, we go up to her and say 'Hey Skank, leave her alone'?" Buffy suggested hopefully.

"And draw Cordy's wraith," Jesse said, coming up next t them, "If that's what you want, I vote that you do it."

"I vote that you go hit on her again and she knees you in the nads…again." Buffy smirked back at him.

Jesse sneered at her and was about to respond, but was instead pushed backwards and sent stumbling to the ground, surprised, by one Xander Harris. He made a quick move to push himself up, ready to confront his friend when he saw the prodding look on Xander's face. Jesse looked to the right of where he now stood, next to an outright laughing Cordelia and a frightened redhead. 

"Smooth, McCormick." The cheerleader smiled at him, "You've been in school for three minutes and you've already made an ass of yourself." She looked at him for a moment, and the added, "A bigger ass of yourself."

"Funny," Buffy interjected, coming up behind them to her friend's defense, "That's what Victoria's Secret said yesterday about you. I mean, they almost ran out of lace…"

Cordelia shot Buffy a look that, if it could kill, just put her great great great grand kids six feet under. "Alright Freak. We'll see whose laughing at the end of tryouts," she smiled evilly and turned back to her shocked group of friends.

"Your words cut like a sword!" Buffy called out after her in mock pain and horror before looking at Jesse and the new girl.

"That was genius!" Xander was smiling as he came up to his friends, throwing his arm around Buffy's shoulders and pulling her into his chest in a sideways hug. Buffy let herself be pulled into him and she could swear that she felt his lips press ever so slightly into her hair, but she was released before she could react properly, if at all.

Xander tried to keep his smile in place despite his nervousness I just kissed her head!!!!! I just kissed her head!!!! "You didn't have to push me down," Jesse complained rubbing his back, unaware of his friends' internal conflict.

"It was a spur of the moment thing," Xander defended thankful for the distraction, "I just knew that we had to get in there…"

"Thank you guys," the new girl spoke, drawing the three friends' attention, "I'm a little new here…"

"And what a welcome to the hallowed halls of Sunnydale High," Buffy joked sarcastically earning a laugh from the girl. "I'm Buffy Summers" she offered her introduction, "And these doofus'," she gestured to her sides where Xander and Jesse stood, "are my faithful lackeys, Xander Harris and Jesse McCormick."

"I'm not a doofus," Xander defended good-naturedly, "Dumb-ass yes, doofus, no."

"And I'm not a lackey." Jesse took the girls hand in his own and brought it to his lips, kissing it gallantly, "I run this outfit."

Willow looked at him confused as he released her hand, "I'm Willow. Rosenberg." She shook her head, "Willow Rosenberg." She completed finally, her eyes settled on Xander with a shy smile in place; a fact that did not go unnoticed by Buffy.

"Well, Willow Rosenberg. Welcome." Buffy added, taking Willow's arm and walking away from the two boys. She didn't want to admit that the move effectively took one dark haired you man out of the girls' line of vision. "We'll make sure you have an easy time here in Sunnydale and you know all the fun stuff there is to do, and…"

"C'mon now Buff," Xander said coming up beside her and jamming his hands into his pockets. "Let's not get the girls hopes up. You and I both know that there is no fun stuff here in the Sunny-D."

Jesse was now walking beside Willow, "Well, we've got a Starbucks now," he said thoughtfully.

Xander shook his head in disagreement as they made their way through the halls, "That's a cheap knock-off Starbucks. It's called the Espresso Pump, if you ever want to look it up," he added for Willow's benefit.

"Well, we do have the Bronze." Buffy settled, leading the group into homeroom. Willow took a seat next to her and Xander and Jesse sat behind them.

"What's that?" Willow asked, glancing between the three friends. Maybe, she thought for the first time since her father had took her that they where moving, this town wouldn't be so bad. She had three potential friends here. And that Xander kid…

"It's only _the club, here." Buffy spoke and Willow drew her eyes away from the boy sitting behind her who was watching the blonde speak intently. _

"Yeah," Jesse agreed, "It may reek of dive, but anybody who's anybody in this town frequents the Bronze."

"So we'll have to make an appendence," Buffy interject, looking excitedly amongst her friends.

"Tonight?" Xander asked, seemingly perking up to the conversation for the first time.

"Yeah," Buffy fixed him with a look, "You're not busy are you?" she asked sarcastically.

"No." Xander shot at her, "It's just a Wednesday. I thought tonight was movie night."

Xander had grown to love summer movie nights with Buffy. When he was lucky, Jesse was busy, usually babysitting for his little brother, which left just him and Buffy alone. Alone, and since May, alone included more holding than it had in the past… he wasn't ready to give that up yet, even if he had not idea what exactly _that was._

"C'mon Xan," Buffy said, her mind flashing back briefly to the image of her head resting on Xander's shoulder as they lay side by side watching some B-rated flick or another. "Willow's new. We need to show her around."

"Yeah, Xander." Willow smiled at him, "Pretty please lets go to the Bronze."

Xander looked at her and then to Buffy, who had fixed him with her patented pout, "Fine," he sighed, "We'll Bronze it tonight, but tomorrow…"

"Movie Night!!!!" Jesse sang with his impression of Pavarotti.

Great. Xander shut his eyes. Now Jesse and probably Willow would be at Buffy's house tomorrow and he'd have to stay as far away from her as conditions would allow. Today officially sucked, and through no fault of his own. Nope. It was all Jesse and the new girls fault…all the school boards fault. Who starts a school yeah in the middle of the week? If I would have had one more day of summer, I could've…could've done…something…anything… 

He was vaguely aware of Mr. Davis' voice introducing them to the New Year when he saw Buffy reach behind her and scratch her back, sweeping her hair away from her neck in a way that totally fascinated him. One more day. One more day and he could have been the one to do that, but no. Now they were going to be forever stuck in the loop of the friend…

A small scrap of paper dropped onto his desk from Buffy's hand and, although surprised, he picked it up as discretely as possible. Xander slid down in his seat and unfolded the note, reading the simple words drawn inside… 'Talk outside after 2nd.'

Xander shifted in his chair and took a deep breath. Apparently…hopefully, Buffy was going through some of the same things he was. Either that or she wanted to tell him that they couldn't be friends because she knew he was in love with her and since she could never feel the same there relationship would be eternally screwed. Oh man, he wished it was the first one.

He didn't know how he was going to get through two whole periods with this on his mind, he stood as the bell rang and heard Willow asking Buffy what she had first period, while Jesse had entered into a conversation with Paige Durmot and walked out of the room with her.

"Calculus." He heard Willow say and watched Buffy look at her in disbelief before telling her which room to go to. 

"See ya," he called out after the redhead as she headed to class waving, leaving he and Buffy alone in the hall, neither saying anything as the walked towards theirs English class. 

"She's nice," Buffy commented after a moment, and Xander sighed and nodded. "She's from LA." She continued not sure of what else to say. "Can you imagine moving form LA to here? It's like moving from New York to Green Acres."

Xander nodded again, looking straight ahead and keeping his hands in his pockets. "I can't wait for second period." He commented out of the blue as they reached the class room.

"And that's the root of the weirdness between us." Buffy sighed, almost angrily, "That's all I want to clear up between us."

"Well," Xander resigned, walking behind her hurried stride to a desk, "the weirdness goes two ways."

"I know that. That's the problem." She watched him sit down right next to her and lean in to continue the conversation.

"Is it a problem?" he asked seriously.

"I think it is." Buffy was unable to meet his gaze, but she could feel him still watching her. "We can't be friends…"

Xander's heart clenched, "I think we should go to the bathroom." He interrupted her, "Now."

Buffy simply nodded and walked quietly out of the room. She walked down the hall and turned the corner, leaning against the wall and waiting for Xander. This was exactly why she wanted to wait to have this conversation with him. She knew it wouldn't be an easy one, and truth be told, she just wanted to wait to see that maybe the problem would dissipate between forty minute intervals. 

But they couldn't be friends. Not when she could hardly concentrate around him. Not when all she wanted him to do sometimes was to…

"Come on," Xander's voice was a harsh whisper as he came around the corner and took hold of her hand, gently pulling her after him. He kept walking at  a brisk pace and tried not to concentrate on the feel of Buffy's small warm hand held firmly in his. They had held hands before, sure. In reality it was nothing. But now, it seemed to Xander, each touch they shared was something he coveted. 

He led them quietly through the halls, thankful that the Principal was nowhere to be seen. The only thing he needed to make his suckfest day complete would be detention on the first day of school. "Here." He said finally reaching for the doorknob of a broom closet and opening the door.

Buffy looked around quickly before letting go of his hand and walking through the open door, pulling the lamp string hanging from the ceiling as Xander shut the door behind them. "When you say we can't be friends anymore, we need to talk about it right away." Xander was talking immediately.

All Buffy could do was nod in response, unable to meet his hurt eyes. "That came out wrong." She said quietly, "We'll always be friends…it's just…" she looked up to see Xander watching her expectantly, "It's been…"

"Weird." Xander filled in. "We've established that."

"Yeah, but it's been like that all summer." Buffy shook her head. "We're not the same…"

"Good." Xander said confidently, "That means that we're growing up. It was bound to happen some day Buffy."

"So it's good that we're not friends anymore," Buffy's voice cracked, but she ignored it. She didn't know why she felt like crying right then.

"We're best friends…I think we are. Why don't you?" he tried, hoping to fish something out of her before he admitted to any of his own feelings.

"Because…" she stated and then stopped talking.

"Because what?"

"Because you…" Buffy started again, pissed that he was pushing her to explain why _he was spending all his time starring at her, "You held me that night." She said quietly._

"I loved waking up with you." He admitted in hopes of comforting her after her confession. "I'd been thinking about it before that night…I don't really know why…"

"And you're a guy…" Buffy kept talking.

"Thanks for noticing…" Xander smirked at her statement.

"And I've noticed," Buffy shook her head, "Oh, God, I've noticed…"

"If it makes this any less embarrassing, I've notice you're a girl too." He tossed her a labored grin. 

Buffy silently wondered if all coed best friends went through this. If they all got to a point where this person…your best friend was all of the sudden a member of the opposite sex, and was therefore, not only very available, but also increasingly appealing. The availability just made the situation more dangerous…because you trust each other. Trust each other with all that you are and all the sudden you're not just best friends, you're a guy and a girl. You're a teenaged guy and girl and you're so close and you both want the same thing…and there's the love and the trust and… "When?" Buffy mumbled, now standing in front of him.

Xander laughed at himself, "The first day at Laguna." He remembered vividly, "That's when I saw you as a girl…you walked out of the sliding glass door of the kitchen out by the pool…"

"The bikini?" Buffy smirked at him and Xander shrugged his shoulders.

"You have boobies. I don't know when that happened." Xander laughed and Buffy swatted his arm.

"So all this is about puberty?" she asked, shaking her head.

"Of course," Xander agreed, but then added, "But I think for me it's also because it's you, Buffy. It's just not possible more me to not be…" he shook his head, the close proximity of there bodies suddenly registering with him and his throat dried out.

Buffy sensed his change in demeanor and shifted from foot to foot, "For you to what?" She wanted him to be able to say…whatever it was he was just going to say. There was a fluttery feeling that started in her stomach and tickled up her throat when Xander's eyes opened and looked directly down into hers. They were so close now all one of them would have to do was lean…she could easily lean up just to test…just to see if what she had, begrudgingly, been obsessing over for months was worth all the thought…

"We need to get back to class," Xander rasped out, taking a sudden step back, trying not to concentrate on how Buffy's stature visibly deflated in front of him, "We've been gone too long already."

"Yeah," Buffy agreed, "I'll, um…I'll go first."

Xander nodded to her and watched as she turned towards the door as he cursed his own stupidity and took a deep breath. Buffy must have heard his early exhalation loud and clear because she suddenly turned to face him, the broken look in her eyes now slightly tinged with the fierce determination that was always just below the surface. 

"We still need to talk," she stated, leaving no room for questioning, "We just need to find the words first."

Xander swallowed again If there are words his mind laughed bitterly, but his mouth just answered with "Sure, we'll have to definitely talk later."

Buffy saw something else in his eyes and wondered if the same was true for her with him. She needed to think that it had to be…that this boy knew her better than she knew herself…but at the same time she wondered if he was the same boy she thought she had grown up with. He didn't feel the same to her anymore…didn't act the same…didn't look the same to her any more. The boy she knew wouldn't have thought something about her that he didn't say…and she wouldn't be…wouldn't have to try to figure him out.

She opened the closet door and cautiously stepped out into the hallway, quickly making her way back to class without looking back to see where Xander was.

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End Part 1


	2. Before the Fall of Rome Part 2

Title: Before the Fall of Rome

Author: Brooke 

Email: yabbadabbadome13@yahoo.com 

Rating: R

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. I wished I owned the two Xanders' from "The Replacement" though. Buffy and friends are owned by Joss, Mutant Enemy, 20th Century Fox, The UPN and whoever else has rights to the show. 

Summary: You remember all that crap that started post-puberty…yeah, it's great isn't it. It was when life started

Distribution: I don't know why anybody would want this, but if somebody does…sure. 

Feedback: Definitely!! Tell me if it sucked or if you liked it. Whatever. Just write back!

Authors Note: Takes place in an AU season 1 where Buffy and Xander are best friends and Willow is the new girl as Sunnydale High. It is the beginning of their sophomore year and, as 15 and 16 year olds, hormones and feelings are taking center stage.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Buffy slammed her locker door shut and reached into her purse for her schedule. Things after first period had decidedly gone downhill, and Xander had successfully ignored her for about three hours now.

Two hours and twelve minutes to be exact.

She was contemplating faking cramps and calling her Dad to come get her and take her home. She hated when she and Xander fought, and because it happened so infrequently she had no real game plan on how to cope with it…she didn't even know if there were fighting…

"Whoa," Jesse's voice drew her attention from behind her, "Hell must be frozen over because both you and Xander are in the Land of Quiet Reflection. When both of you aren't talking, something is definitely wigged. What's up?"

Buffy took in her friends obviously curious, but more concerned expression as he fell into stride beside her, "Nothing," she said, fully aware that her tone implied that she was lying.

"C'mon Buff," Jesse stopped her and leaned her against a row of lockers so he see her eyes, "Despite what you may think I know you better than that." He gave her a sly grin, "What happened? Did you catch Harris trying to watch you change again?"

Buffy rolled her eyes at him, in spite of the fact that she was more that a little intrigued at the idea of Xander trying to see her naked, "No."

"But it is about him, right?" Jesse pressed, "I mean, it always is with you…"

"What is that supposed to mean?" Buffy stood up straight and forced his hands from her shoulders.

Jesse just looked at her, "You know exactly what it means… Jesus, Buffy…Why do you think you're not dating Scott anymore? Huh? Why do you think you and Xander have the same class schedule? I'm his best friend, too, but I take breaks…"

"Scott broke up with me FOR THE SUMMER." She defended, "We decided that was for the best…and it's none of your business anyway. And Xander and I…we're in the same class level…both idiots, ya know…" Buffy defended weakly.

"You guys spent your WHOLE summer together, does Scott, 'who broke up with you for the summer' know that?" Jesse kept arguing, "If it were legal you and Xan would be common law married…" he looked at her for a moment, and added , "But I get the feeling that that wouldn't necessarily bother you."

Buffy just looked at him, fighting to keep her expression neutral, "I know you too Jess." She commented sardonically, "Stop fishing."

Jesse shook his head and they headed across the quad, "So where are you going now, the café's that way." He pointed back where they had just come from. "And Xander's sitting out front on the grass."

"So?" Buffy shrugged and tried not to look worried, "I promised Willow that we'd meet her by the library before lunch. She had to pick up some books." 

Jesse watched her facial expression and how she refused to even give him a sideways glance, "All I know is that whatever it is that crawled up BOTH you asses, it's big…Xander is never late to lunch so forget him skipping it…"

"And that is all you know." Buffy commented snidely, "He's probably fine… JUST like me." She insisted with a large smile in place to back up her avowal.

"Sure," Jesse said, making sure that his tone expressed his total disbelief. "We're all together foe like three minutes and you two manage to crap on the whole group dynamic. Jeez, I can't leave you guys alone for a minute." He mumbled.

"Speaking of group dynamic," Buffy said, trying to change the subject before they reached the library and Willow, "What do we do about the new girl? Am I to assume that she's part of the gang?"

Jesse looked at her mock-conspirsiously, "Well, we gotta have the secret meeting tonight in Horman's Woods at 3 AM to run it but Cult Master Xander," Buffy sneered at him as he continued, "But I'd say Willow is as good as friend."

"And Paige," Buffy sing-songed and Jesse turned beet red.

"At least I'm not crushing on my best friend," he fired with out thought and watched Buffy's face fall. He stammered over his words, "Because…if I…if I were, I've been holding out a lot of secrets from you guys…and more importantly, from myself."

"I'll tell you who is crushing on my best friend," Buffy said back, in loo of a laugh at his joke, "Willow."

"What?" Jesse commented disbelievingly, "Get out!"

"I'm in and staying there." Buffy smirked, "She wants on him."

"How do you know that?" Jesse asked with wide eyes Especially since you don't see that you want the same thing?

"Girls know these things," Buffy said confidently, unaware of Jesse's eye roll.

"Well how does that make you feel?" he asked in a pretend serious tone.

Buffy seriously regarded his question as he pushed open the swinging door to the library and answered in kind, "I honestly don't know."

Jesse watched her as she gave her answer, but kept moving so as he could not respond as he followed her into the room.

"Wow," she was talking again before he could bring up what she had vaguely alluded to about her feelings for Xander, "I haven't been in here forever." She looked around the empty dimly lit room for signs of life.

"And I can see why," Jesse shivered as he stood beside her, "This place gives me the creeps."

"Must be all this knowledge flying around," Buffy laughed, poking him in the ribs and Jesse narrowed his eyes at her. "HELLO!!" she called out, suddenly turning away from him, "WILLOW?!"

"No," an older sounding English accent entered the room from behind the reference desk and the two teens jumped as they turned to face it, "Giles." The voice said, "Mr. Giles. And I'll thank you to remember that this is a library."

Buffy laughed nervously, "Sorry…I was looking for…"

"I know what you're looking for…" Giles cut her off excitedly after a moment of studying her intently, "But I must admit, I didn't expect you to bring friends," he glanced toward Jesse.

"Listen Mr. Rodgers," the boy spoke up, stepping slightly in front of Buffy as the older man continued to stare at her, "We were just looking for our friend. Redhead, about ye tall," he gestured with his hand, "She said she had to pick up some books."

"She came by, yes…Willow?"

Buffy nodded from behind Jesse, "I guess she went to the café already," she said to him, "Let's go after her…fast." She added gripping the young mans arm and heading for the exit. Jesse continued to glare at the older man as he was pulled towards the door when the Englishman spoke again.

"Ms. Summers?" he called out, and Buffy stopped suddenly.

"How'd you now that?" she turned to face him, confusion written clearly on her features.

"C'mon Buff," Jesse said in her ear, "Let's go meet Willow. This guy is wigging me out…majorly…"

Buffy shook off his voice and focused on Giles as she spoke, "I'll catch up to you," she told him. "I'll be fine," she assured him when she felt him about to respond.

Jesse huffed out a breath and shrugged his shoulders, "Fine." He shook his head, "But when the SDPD are searching for your body, I'm gonna say I had nothing to do with it."

"As you should," Buffy agreed, only half paying attention to him and she was vaguely aware of the swooshing of the door as it shut behind him. "How'd you know my name?" she asked the librarian again, when they were alone.

Giles regarded her for a moment as she continued to keep her distance and suddenly gave her a bright smile and headed back around the desk. "Well," he said, reaching for something under the counter, "not to…wig…you" he chose the word carefully in hopes of getting the girl to relax, "but I've been sent here…for you." He hefted a large book onto the counter and Buffy just watched as the dust cloud rose. "Buffy Summers." He continued, "Age 15. Height 5'3. Weight…"

"Hold on there Dragnet," Buffy cut him off, disbelieving smirk in place as she stepped cautiously towards him, "There's not need to read off a stat sheet."

Giles gave her a half smile and adjusted his glasses, "Quiet…But," his enthusiasm renewed, "I do have what you're looking for…"

"Which is…?" Buffy raised an eyebrow at him, "Cuz right now, I'm kinda in search of a sandwich." She smiled at the labored grin she received in response.

"This," Giles said swiping his hand over the tomb on the desk so she could see the title… VAMPYR.

All the color drained from Buffy's face and she took a step away from him, "I'm not looking for that." She stated, her voice shaking, "I don't know what that is…"

Giles watched her and came slowly around the counter as she backed away, "I know," he said quietly, "but you will…"

"Yeah well, I don't want to." Buffy turned to leave.

"You have been called," Giles stated.

"Well I'm hanging up."

"You know what goes on in the night, don't you Buffy?" Giles asked, pushing her. "You can already feel it, can't you?"

Buffy stopped momentarily, "I don't…" she shook her head, "I don't know what you're talking about." She walked away faster, "I have to go."

"Buffy!" Giles called out after her, "It is my job to prepare you…"

"Prepare me for what?!" She stopped suddenly and whirled to face him, the action coming so fast that Giles took a step back. "Prepare me for the time when I was walking home and got attacked by this mutated freak…and I had to figure out how to kill it myself? Is that what your job it? Well it's too late…"

"You have killed one before?" he asked in disbelief.

"I've _killed several before. And I've quit. I'm not going to do it anymore, so whatever your point is, it's completely moot."_

"You're the Slayer Buffy. You're the Vampire Slayer, and I am your Watcher." He seemed to have her attention so he spoke quickly, "In every generation a Slayer is called… One girl in all the world born with the strength and skill to fight and win against the vampire, demons, and forces of darkness. You are that girl Buffy."

"No, I'm not." Buffy disagreed, "I'm just not."

Giles shook his head and reached into his pocket, glancing at her with a bowed head. He prayed that she wouldn't over react to what he was about to do. Without warning he whipped out a short hunting knife and threw it hard at the girl's head, as she stood in front of him.

Buffy hardly had time to react as her right hand rose and quickly snatched the knife out of the air, mere millimeters away from her face. Her whole body shaking as she looked at the weapon in her hand. The knife this librarian had thrown at her. "YOU TIRED TO KILL ME!!!!!" she screamed, her eyes wide.

"You…you…" Giles rushed to calm her down, "you _ARE the one. You caught it…"_

"Because you threw a knife at my face!!!"

"You caught it because you are the Slayer…."

"YOU THREW A KINFE AT MY FACE!!!" she annunciated each word.

"I'm here to train you…"

Buffy threw the knife at the floor and turned around, "I'm leaving," she all but ran to the door, "When my Dad hears that the teachers are trying to gut the students you're gonna be outta here so fast you'll be back in England in time for tea with the Queen."

"You mustn't mention this to anyone. It is to be a secret…" Giles didn't have time to get his sentence out as Buffy stormed out of the room. He stooped to grab the knife off of the floor and tucked it back into his pocket, "Well, Rupes. That went smashingly. Bloody good show." He muttered, "Bloody good show."

*~*~*

Buffy ran out of the library, not at all paying attention to where she was going in her hurry to get as far away from that man as fast as humanly possible, so she didn't see him right before she ran into him, sending them both to the ground.

"Whoa there Buff," Xander breathed, pushing himself to his feet and then extending his hand to her. "What's the matter?" he asked looking briefly over her shoulder in the direction she had run from after he pulled her to her feet.

Buffy tried to collect herself as she readjusted her bag and wiped absently at the dust on her skirt, "Nothing." She stopped for a moment and then asked, "What are you doing here? Jesse said you were quietly contemplating on the front lawn."

Xander looked down at her and unconsciously moved his hand up to brush some hair out of her face, offering her a tender smile, "I was," Xander agreed as he withdrew his hand, "but then I was told we had a Chester the Molester situation in the House of Books involving one Buffy Summers and one skivey old man, so I came rushing to your rescue."

Buffy loved the smile he war as he recounted his tale, "If that were the case, you were a little too late."

She's doing that thing with her mouth…NO!!! That was a wrong thought…Buffy doesn't do anything with her mouth…besides eat…and talk…but that's all… Xander panicked, unable to tear his eyes away from the half smile his friend wore…the unbelievably cute, temptingly irresistible… "Well, I stopped for a Hershey Bar from the vending machine on the way…" he tried to cover. He started walking in order to give himself an excuse to not look directly at her.

"What can I expect? You were missing lunch moping over me." She was slightly disappointed as they started walking together towards the cafeteria.

"I was not moping over you."

Buffy sent him a look of disbelief, "Oh, you weren't?"

Xander shook his head.

"So, you're saying you weren't hungry, then?" Buffy laughed out loud, "You, Alexander Harris, and telling me, Buffy Summers: The Encyclopedia of all things Xander, that you weren't hungry at 12:45 and you would rather've spent the whole period sitting alone in the dirt?"

He knew when she had beaten him, she had done it so much over the course of their friendship, "I had a bench."

"Ok, I'll give you a bench…but what you wanted was a sandwich."

Xander turned to find Buffy grinning in his face, knowing that she was more than happy to hear him admit that he was moping over her, "I just needed to think for a second." He said finally, "All these classes were clouding my concentration."

Buffy shook her head at him as they entered the cafeteria, each briefly waving to Jesse and Willow who were already seated as they got in line. "Well, thank you." She said, not looking him in the eyes.

"For what?" he asked gathering a plate for the lunch lady.

"For rushing to my rescue and what not. Thank you." Buffy clarified, her face scrunching in disgust at the brown heap of meat on her plate. "Too bad you can't save me from cafeteria food." She added while she picked up two bowls of Jell-O.

Xander smiled, but she wasn't facing him to see it, "I don't know about that…" he said rummaging through the salad bar and procuring the last peanut butter and jelly sandwich. "For the lady," he said gallantly settling the sandwich on Buffy's tray and taking the plate of meat from her.

All she could do was look at him and the completely innocent, adorable look on his face, "Whatever will I do to thank you, Good Sir?" she asked in a southern drawl as they both made their way to the table that their friends were sitting at.

"Let me accompany you to the festival of gyrating teens tonight…otherwise known as the Bronze," Xander suggested as they took their seats.

"And they say you can't get something for nothing these days," Buffy commented, smiling to Willow and Jesse, "Alright, shall we say eightish?"

"We can say that," Xander agreed, "I'll be at your house around seven to watch you shower and such."

Buffy rolled her eyes at him and kicked him in the shin under the table, earning a painful yelp from her friend and a suppressed laugh from Willow.

"What?" Jesse asked, feigning interest, "Are you going to shower at six, cuz I can stop by for that."

Buffy kicked him too, and just a little bit harder, causing him to choke on the sip of juice he had just taken. "You guys aren't invited to go with us anymore." Buffy pouted, "It's just going to be me and Willow at the Bronze. Around 8:45?" she finished asking her.

"Yeah," Willow agreed excitedly, "8:45 sounds great."

"Unless, of course, Buffy is busy with the new librarian." Jesse scoffed, "He looked like he had some things he wanted to do with her under the cover of darkness."

Buffy tried to cover her change in expression quickly as she thought back to the events in the library. "You're sick." She threw at Jesse and took a bite of her sandwich. She saw Xander watching her out of the corner of her eye before he spoke.

"What happened Buff?" he asked his voice in full protective mode as he remembered the hurry Buffy was in when they had run into each other. 

"Nothing…"

"Prince Charles, in there, was totally making the eyes at her." Jesse interrupted her quickly, "He was totally trying to make his own Tori Spelling style made for TV flick…no wonder he got a job at a high school…all these young, nubile…"

"Ok," Buffy said loudly, "Stopping you before we have to turn the hose on you. And no." she continued, "That's not what he wanted…not that he wanted anything…because he didn't…want anything." She shifted in her seat while her friends watched her, "Eat!" she demanded, and they all hurried to comply. 

"I thought he was nice," Willow offered quietly, still not completely comfortable with them yet, but Xander sent her a warm smile after she spoke. 

"Well he would be to you," Xander said, "In keeping with the young nobility, and all…"

"So what do we do?" Jesse asked Xander in complete seriousness, "Call the police, or something?"

Buffy sat up suddenly, "Hold on here, fellas." She held up her hands, "No need to jump to conclusions…"

"The guy could be dangerous…and if he's snooping around you," Xander started, "around a high school…"

Buffy caught his slip, "It was nothing, guys."

"He knew your name before you even told him it." Jesse said as if that would justify taking a course of action.

Buffy stood up suddenly, "Look, it was just about me, alright? Nothing happened, nothing is going to happen, and if it were and did it still wouldn't concern you. So just drop it." She headed away from the table before she stopped, "I'll see you guys tonight." And with that she walked out of the cafeteria, leaving Xander, Willow, and Jesse starring after her.

"He brainwashed her," Jesse commented offhandedly as he went back to his lunch. Willow ignored him as she watched Xander focus in the door Buffy had just walked out of sadly for a moment before following Jesse's lead.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

End Part 2


	3. Before the Fall of Rome Part 3

Title: Before the Fall of Rome (3/?)

Author: Brooke 

Email: yabbadabbadome13@yahoo.com 

Rating: R

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. I wished I owned the two Xanders' from "The Replacement" though. Buffy and friends are owned by Joss, Mutant Enemy, 20th Century Fox, The UPN and whoever else has rights to the show. 

Summary: You remember all that crap that started post-puberty…yeah, it's great isn't it. It was when life started

Distribution: I don't know why anybody would want this, but if somebody does…sure. 

Feedback: Definitely!! Tell me if it sucked or if you liked it. Whatever. Just write back!

Authors Note: Takes place in an AU season 1 where Buffy and Xander are best friends and Willow is the new girl as Sunnydale High. It is the beginning of their sophomore year and, as 15 and 16 year olds, hormones and feelings are taking center stage.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_Thee Weeks Later _

Xander swiped his hand through his hair and then over his face before pulling his goggles into place. He swung his arms back and forth a few times as he stepped up onto the platform and glanced from side to side at his team members.

Usually, he was all for timed laps, he found it was a really good way to clear his mind. And he was good at it…and he knew it. It was one of the reasons that he loved tryouts…not only was he doing something he loved, but it gave him the opportunity to show the whole school that Xander Harris was not a complete and total failure. 

He may have never taken an advanced placement class, or won a science fair, or gotten on of those honor roll bumper stickers for his mother's car, but when he was in the pool…when he dove into the water, he was damn near god-like, in a completely non-sacrilegious way.

But today…he was just there. He was really trying to retain a minimal amount to focus, but it didn't look like it was going to happen, and his times were proof of that. To some it up in one word…Buffy.

Yep. They were still milling around in the land of confusions and maybes, and it seemed to him that they should invest in some property in the place. At least rent an apartment.

After the first day of school things got decidedly more complicated. He had gone to the Bronze with her, Jesse, and Willow, genuinely expecting to have the time of his life. Both he and Buffy in total denial mode…until…

The coach's gun sounded and startled Xander into action and he dove into the pool, his thoughts momentarily parting and washing past his body like the water he cut through. The 400 meter butterfly was his favorite stroke, and he knew that nobody in the county could beat him in it. There were 3 trophies in the case in the hall that proved that fact.

He forced his body to move as if there were nothing else in the world…right now, this was all he wanted and needed in the world…there was NOTHING else…NOTHING. He counted in his head and measured out his movements, intending to finish this last practice race for no one but himself, and when he reached the wall for the second time and whipped off his goggles, he saw he had achieved the desired results.

"Finally, the Harris I know!" Coach Ramsey's voice boomed through the pool area, "Good work!"

"Alright, ladies!" he coach spoke again as Xander and the other boys hoisted themselves out of the pool, "That's it for today. Tomorrow we'll start at 3…be on time, remember this is a COMPETITION!"

There were several tired sighs to be heard, but Xander ignored it and walked hurriedly into the locker room. All he wanted to do was shower and go home, but that wasn't even going to happen. He had to meet Willow for his math tutorial in fifteen minutes.

Yes, it seemed to Xander, that after swim practice his life dove back into sucking horribly.

Just like it had everyday for three weeks…three weeks ago, when he had almost kissed his best friend at the Bronze. Since the beginning of the school year, it had become increasingly clear that Xander was not going to be  able to rely on Jesse to offer the much needed Buffy distraction that, he assumed, he had been providing for about two years. He figured Jesse had to be the ONLY reason that he hadn't noticed Buffy _in that way until now…but now…Jesse seemed to have a girlfriend. Paige Durmot had shown up at the Bronze that night and Jesse went MIA for the majority of the night. And Willow had offered little to no help at all. She was still so shy…and seemed to keep looking at him for extended periods of time, which had, in turn, prompted Buffy to ask him to dance upon sensing his uncomfortability._

And that's when it started.

Stupid fucking band and their stupid fucking breaks. And Stupid fucking him…he should've gone back to the table to be starred at some more by Willow, but noooooo…he HAD to wrap his arms around Buffy's waist…and she had to let him.  She had to be wearing that short tight black dress that he loved…and she had to smell sooooo good, all Herbal Essence-y…he loved that smell.

And they, with no hope of interruption just happened to look up at each other and it clicked. It was at that moment that Xander knew that he was right about there not being any words that could be used to fix things between them…only actions that could possibly clarify everything. Buffy had leaned first, up just a fraction of an inch, like she wanted him to kiss her…and oh, how he did. Every fiber of his being wanted that moment…her lips…her body pressed so close to his…

And then somebody bumped into them in a mad dash out of the door. Can we all say 'So long moment'?

But Xander assumed it was for the best…he felt like shit, but it had to be for the best. He couldn't go around kissing his best friend…he could think about it until his right hand fell off…he did have a cramp some nights…but that was all he could do.

He slammed his locker door shut and grabbed his book bag of the bench behind him. He knew he was going to be late for his meeting with Willow, but he just got lost in his thoughts in the shower. Xander was sure that she wouldn't be mad, and even if she were she wouldn't say anything to him about it. She let him slide on those things…if Buffy found out, on the other hand, he'd need to schedule a surgery to get the new ass hole she would tear him closed up.

Xander said some good-byes to his teammates and headed outside, careful to avoid the gym where Buffy had cheerleading practice. He felt a flash of guilt at avoiding her, but didn't really feel like being yelled at for his "inconsiderate attitude" concerning the redheaded newcomer. But, Xander reasoned, Buffy didn't even seem to yell at him so much anymore, it was always more along the lines of a stern look which seemed to always melt into a warm smile and then a disturbed head shake. He had the same reaction to her and his…involuntary…bodily responses. 

He knew aversion wasn't the way to go either, but if he saw her and the girls were done their practice he would, without a doubt, stay and talk with her…and then walk her home…and stay for dinner…

And totally forget about Willow waiting at the Espresso Pump for him.

But he did need to talk to her. Beyond their almost kiss, that was reaping havoc in his world, he knew something else was going on with her. Something they had not discussed, be it because of the lack of an appropriate time, or because they always seemed to get distracted when they were together now…or, and Xander hated this reason, because, one Scott Hope, had sought out Buffy on the second day of school and tried to restart their relationship.

Tried, being the operative word. Buffy had told him that she would like to try out an extended summer plan as far as they were concerned, and because Scott, Xander ruefully admitted, would do anything for her, agreed. Now Xander noticed, Buffy had a full fledged stalker, and their group had an enthusiastic fifth wheel…member.

Xander shuffled his feet down the pavement through town, letting his hair dry in the sun. Not that the fact that Buffy had chosen to remain in the single pool…with him…didn't make him happy, but he thought she wouldn't be able to wait to enter the land of the attached again. One thing Xander knew about Buffy was that she loved to, well…to be attached. But when he had asked why she wanted to extend her break with Scott she had just said that she had too much on her plate right then. She said with school starting, cheerleading, new friends, and stuff, Scott just didn't fit into the equation right now.

It was the "and stuff" that had gotten Xander's attention, and he had asked "What stuff?", but in her famous defensive maneuver Buffy had deftly avoided the question by showing him the cheerleading uniform catalog…He was only human.

But Xander was still asking himself, "What stuff?"

He knew it was something. Ever since that first day…he didn't know exactly, but Buffy seemed to have some sort of…second life…she was leading. She was always busy now. Sure, she made time for him and Willow and Jesse, when he was available, but it was different…she was different. She left the Bronze early, now, and almost always, got there late. And when Xander would call her line at night, just to check on her, she wasn't always there. He had to ask himself, if she wasn't with him, where was she?

And sometimes, Xander noticed, she had strange bruises, and if he wrestled her to rough in the hallway, she would wince. That, and when she would wrestle back, he would always end up with a steady ache where she had hit him, which usually lasted for days…she was still small, she just seemed to pack more of a punch that she had in the past. And Xander had seen her in the library more than he had ever seen anybody else in the school…which was weird…and he didn't like it. He didn't like that she was different, and increasingly defensive because of it.

He had a surmounting number of facts…he just needed to talk to her. He hoped she would want to talk to him…especially since she had shown no interest in it thus far.

"XAN!!" he hears his name called in the now familiar voice and he entered the gated outside seating area of the coffee house where Willow was.

"Hey Wills," he greeted warmly, huge smile in place, "What's the what?"

"Nothing much," she smiled back at him, and then reminded herself mentally to tone it down a bit. She just always got this fluttery feeling whenever Xander was near her, so forget it when he smiled at her. "How was practice?"

Xander shook his head, purposefully flinging some remaining water on her, to which Willow laughed, but pretended to be upset by. "Same ol', same ol'," he took a seat across from her and then took a sip of her Frapappuccino, "I hope you realize that you're sitting with the star of the Razorbacks Swimming team," he joked.

"Oh, I'm well aware," Willow chided, "I'm just surprised that you can swim with huge head of yours."

"Just let me have one thing," Xander pleaded, "I can swim and I can read, that's all. Please don't steal my thunder."

Willow shook her head at him, "You're better than you think you are," she reprimanded, "Just not according to Ms. Kelson," she added, referring to his math teacher in hopes of covering any deeper meaning to her previous comment.

Xander heard her, but chose to ignore the comment, "Well, she's in the majority." He reached into his bag for his notebook, "Should we start?"

Willow raised an eyebrow at him, "You in a hurry to ditch me?"

Xander looked up shocked, "Ditch you?" he asked in a mock hurt tone, "Of course not. Buffy just said that you guys were going to the mall before dinner, so I figured you'd want to hurry this up. I know I do." He watched her continue to look at him and realized what he had just said, "The math. I want to hurry the math up…not the hanging out with you…"

"Sure," Willow sounded disbelieving despite her smile. She and Buffy were going to the mall later, she remembered. She had actual friends now…she had a group. The pain she had felt when she left her old friends back in LA was slowly melting away the more time she spent with Buffy, Xander and Jesse. They, despite the obvious differences that she could see between them, accepted her. Everything was perfect…except for one thing…one Xander shaped thing that she had no idea what to do with. Willow had never had anybody in her life like Xander…he was so…cute, and funny, and nice, and there…and Buffy's…only not Buffy's…and Willow had no idea what to do, because when it came down to it, she was quite sure she couldn't compete with Buffy for him and win; after all, completely aside from the physical side, where Willow felt increasingly inadequate, he and Buffy had so much more history, and she was so new to it all. She even felt ashamed that she felt the need to compete with her new friend for a guy.

"So what part are you having a problem with?" she asked, shaking her thoughts away, and flipping open the textbook she had borrowed from Buffy to help tutor Xander with.

Xander just looked at her for a moment as if she had just spoken Japanese to him, "The math part." he stated matter-of-factly.

"Alright," Willow sighed, "Let's start with real numbers then."

Xander quirked one eye brow at her, and Willow mentally accepted that no matter how warm and fuzzy she felt about him, this was going to be a long afternoon.

*~*~*

"READY GIRLS! OKAY!"

Buffy was wearing her biggest smile as she fell into formation, taking her place right next to Cordelia in the triangular pattern they were in. This was mostly a clapping cheer, something easy for all the newcomers, so all the pom-poms had been discarded by the bleachers before Cordelia, as head cheerleader, began shouting out the orders in an overly peppy and obviously fake tone.

Buffy had to laugh…not only had she made the squad, a clear step up from last years second alternate, but in most of the formations she had been placed right next to Cordelia. It was the perfect set-up for the private competition they engaged in everyday. Everyday since the second grade when they had met and proclaimed a mutual hatred for each other. Now, as mature high schoolers' they had the means to carry it out more efficiently. Buffy wanted nothing more than to be better than Cordelia, and Cordelia wanted nothing more than to rip Buffy's spine out and jam it up her ass…it was really pretty even handed.

"LIKE AWESOME, OH WOW!" the cheer started and Buffy clapped in time with the words, trying to best the girl next to her with her enthusiasm.

"LIKE TOTALLY FREAK ME OUT! LIKE TOTALLY, RIGHT ON! THE RAZORBACKS SURE ARE NUMBER ONE!" the cheer ended with the customary round of high kicks and screams, and the expected round of applause from the guys in the bleachers.

"Alright ladies," the coach drew their attention and they all drew into a scattered circle. Buffy was only half listening as she congratulated them in a hard days practice as her eyes scanned the bleachers for her friends…well, one friend in particular. 

She spotted Jesse, who was more than likely, there for Paige, who Buffy briefly noticed was also not paying close attention to the coach as she did some serious eye flirting with her friend. She rolled her eyes at him when she saw him making kissing gestures towards the other girl and she scanned the rest if the bench he was sitting on, which didn't take much. Buffy spotted Scott sitting next to him and he gave her the obligatory excited wave when he saw her look at him. 

She felt genuinely bad that he was there…still refusing to let her go, even after she told him that she wasn't ready to go out with him again after nearly four months of separation. But it was true…she couldn't be with him feeling the way she did. It wasn't fair to him, and it wasn't fair to her, and, it seemed more importantly, it wasn't fair to Xander. Not that the last fact mattered at all, because it seemed that she would never to be able to make it fair for Xander…and the reasons for that were far to many and complicated for her to deal with without getting a splitting headache. 

But Scott, being the guy that he was, refused to just let her walk out of his life…he said that if nothing else we would wait until she was ready if as nothing more than a friend, And a friend he became…if friend meant a suffocating, smothering, psychopathic stalker boy…he was her best friend.

Buffy waved back feebly at him and him alone. See…they were the only two who had come to see her that day. She knew that Xander had swim practice, but he had, at least for the past two weeks, come to watch her right after he was done. She liked that. She always seemed to practice better knowing that he was there watching her.

But, today, like yesterday, and everyday that week, for a matter of fact, he hadn't been there. 

She felt like she had hardly spoken to him at all, and that fact bothered her a lot. Buffy tried to shake it off as she headed towards the locker room as fast as she could in hopes if avoiding having to talk to Scott. She hoped that Jesse could talk him into giving him a ride home, at least that way she wouldn't have to BS some excuse as to why she wasn't going home yet.

Everyday after practice Buffy had to head to the library to train with Giles. He had finally roped her into this Slayer thing and now it had thoroughly taken over her life. In the end, Buffy knew that she couldn't just let people die…not when she had the power to stop it. Or as Giles had told her, she was destined to stop it…or die trying. It seemed that of all her childhood dreams, her true destiny lay in fighting the forces of darkness until she died at a disturbingly young age. 

So she slayed. Every night for the last two and a half weeks she fought and bled and bruised and beheaded and staked everything that crawled out of the ground or sewer. Oh did she had the bruises to prove it too. She may have Slayer strength and healing, but she was still new to the game, and Giles was still complaining that she was taking too many hits, herself, to be truly effective.

All this criticism, Buffy noted, while he hid behind a tombstone and did as his title claimed…watched.

But, at the end of the day, all this slaying, when added onto school and cheerleading practice, friends, and the already minimal amount of time she spent with her family, meant that she had no time for her. Not that she craved the loner life style or even needed countless hours to mull over her life; she just missed having the option to if she wanted. Buffy was loosing herself, and she was always so tired all the time now, and the aches, while they healed quickly, were accumulating faster than her body could deal…

Xander noticed.

Nobody but Xander noticed…and she couldn't even talk to him about it. All she could do was say that she was fine, give him a smile, and change the subject. Buffy hated that she couldn't tell the one person in her life that she had always told everything to this. He couldn't know this…the biggest thing in her life…the one thing that could end her life. She hated that when she cried herself to sleep at night, because, as of late everything was proving to be too much, she couldn't go to Xander and have him make it all better. She had a feeling that he could, she just couldn't let him.

Buffy trudged warily out of the locker room, still in her practice clothes, on her way to the library. It was Friday and she knew that Giles was going to work her extra hard. She didn't know where she had developed any type of martial arts skills, but she had them now, and had absolutely no idea what to do with them, as her Watcher had so pointedly put it. And he had to show her exactly what to do as he intended to sent her out on a solo patrol on Monday. 

Solo patrol.

All that meant to Buffy was that there would be no one in shouting distance to call an ambulance when some monster beat the living shit out of her and left her to die in the dirt.

Her eyes were closed as her feet carried her to the library but she stopped when she heard her name called…it was Scott, her mind recognized immediately. Dammit! her mind cursed. Not only had she not seen Xander that afternoon, which undoubtly assured that he was avoiding her again, but now she hadn't even spent enough time in the bathroom to miss Scott.

"Hey," she greeted, turning to face him, hoping she didn't sound too irritated. "What's up?"

Scott came up to face her, noticing her slouched stance, "Nothing much. You?" he asked, a small smile in place.

Buffy shrugged her shoulders, "Eh," she couldn't think of anything else to say, so she left it at that. She knew it was pathetic, but she was tired. Plus, less conversation should be less encouragement for him.

He continued his study of her and let out a breathy chuckle, "That good huh?" he got another shoulder shrug. "You were good in practice," Scott noted, "Very cheery, but now I see that was just an act."

"I'm just tired," Buffy stated, "Once I get a power nap in I should be right as rain."

"In time for the Bronze tonight?" he asked hopefully, "Cuz I could swing by your house and pick you up."

Buffy sighed and shook her head, seeing right through yet another one of his attempts to engage her in a date-like scenario. "I can't tonight," she saw him waiting for an explanation and her mind worked furiously to come up with one, "Dad's stressing a family night, so I'm roped into it…cuz I'm in the family and all…"

Scott nodded in agreement, "I hear that. My Mom insists on Sunday's though."

"Listen Scott," Buffy started with the clear intent of ending this conversation for now, "I'm…"

"Do you need a ride home?" Scott asked suddenly, cutting her off, "I could give you a lift if your so tired…you shouldn't be walking…especially with your eyes closed." he leaned in and laughed slightly.

Buffy smiled back at him for a moment, "You have no idea how much I want to say yes…"

"Great!" Scott interjected, reaching to take her gym bag from her, but Buffy shifted her shoulder away from him so that he missed the strap.

"But…" she started again.

"Of course…but. There's always a but…"

"I've got some more stuff to do here," Buffy stated, now put off by his tone and new demeanor. 

Scott shook his head, "I could wait…"

"Not necessary," Buffy insisted, "I'm just…"

"Fine," Scott held up his hands and took a small step back, "Listen Buff, I…I'm running on auto-pilot here," he watched Buffy's eyes close as she dropped her head so he continued, "I don't know what to do without you."

"You haven't really been without me yet," Buffy pointed out, "Maybe if you try it for a little bit I'll believe you more."

"You know what I mean," Scott sighed and looked around the empty hall, "Do you know how hard it is to go from couple to friend?" Buffy didn't respond, mostly because she didn't have a response to his question, and she assumed that she wasn't supposed to. "I don't understand why, Buffy. And I don't think you do either…"

"You don't know what I understand, so don't attempt to tell me that you do." Buffy said to him, finally meeting his eyes with a fierce gaze.

Scott knew he had crossed a line, but having dating her, this wasn't the first time that had happened, so he knew to back off. He changed his tone when he spoke next, "That's not what I meant…I just…you're not dating anyone…"

"How can I when my ex is trailing me all day and night?" Buffy asked semi-sarcastically.

Scott's gaze fell, "So if I weren't, you would be? Is that what you're saying?"

"No," Buffy denied, "I'm just saying…it's not like you're giving me the ideal situation to work with."

"I just want you back, Buffy," his voice held a hint of pleading in it, "I don't know what I did to loose you…"

"You didn't do anything…"

"But I can't not have you in my life…God, Buffy, I don't know what it is about you…" 

Buffy looked at him and it seemed like he was going to cry, "Scott, I really have to go." She said before the situation progressed any further.

He shook his head, "Just let me tell you this…please Buffy. You…something about you…I need. I need you."

"I'll see you later," Buffy said, turning and walking away quickly. "Bye," she called over her shoulder without looking back. She heard him call her name, but she kept walking, not hearing his footsteps behind her. She took a deep breath, and pushed open the door to the library taking in Giles' form waiting for her at the large table in the middle of the room. Her day couldn't get any worse if someone were to literally throw human feces on her, and here this man sat, looking at her as if he couldn't be more disappointed in anybody else in the world.

No.

Buffy shot Giles a look as he was about to comment on her tardiness and he immediately shut up. She made her way over to the punching dummy and began the workout that he had outlined for her in the beginning of the week, executing it so efficiently as if she were daring him to interrupt her. She didn't want to hear anything anybody had to say…Not now. Right now she just wanted to get this done and then sleep until it was time to put her training into practice and then sleep again. And that was exactly what she was going to do, and no stuffy old Englishman with a power complex was going to stop her. 

*~*~*

"Come now, Buffy!" came the muffled English accent through the padded face mask, "You are hardly even trying…" 

Giles was easily staving off all of her half-hearted attacks and landing a few effortless smacks to her sides and head as he backed her across the room. He watched Buffy fall into another fighting stance and saw her shift her weight, dropping her right shoulder and he knew to block the left hook and right front snap kick that followed. "You're still dropping your shoulder…Alright," he sighed finally, taking off the helmet. "We're taking a break."

"Good," Buffy huffed out, not bothering to adjust the hair which had loosened form her ponytail and fallen into her face. She picked up her water bottle form the table and took a large gulp before dropping heavily into her seat with her eyes closed.

Giles watched her for a moment and then approached her as she sat. "What is the problem, Buffy?" he asked, hoping that his tone displayed a sense of interest instead of distain at the sub par fighting skills she had displayed all afternoon.

"Like you care," Buffy muttered. Apparently he had failed in his task. "You're job isn't to care about me, it's to take notes on what keeps me alive for one more day."

Giles sighed and moves to the other side of the table to take a seat facing her. "That," he faltered, thinking for a moment, "That is hardly the case." He watched Buffy raise a skeptical eyebrow at him, "While it is my job to keep you alive, a part of devising that plan comes from caring about you. If something is bothering you, perhaps if we talked about it, we could resolve the issue…I'd hate to send you out with something plaguing you and leave you at a mental disadvantage. When you slay all of you must be there…"

"And there you go with the slaying again," Buffy let out an irritated sigh. "C'mon Giles, admit it, you don't even like me." She challenged him.

"P...P…Pardon?" Giles stammered under her glare, which seemed to be more curious than threatening.

"I'm just an annoying little self-centered brat, who doesn't listen to anybody and who always has her head in the clouds and you can't stand me." Buffy elaborated smugly before taking another sip of water.

Giles thought back for a moment and knew that she would likely take his hesitation as an affirmative to her accusations. Granted he didn't understand her a majority of the time…she spoke in a mutilated version of the English language that passed for normal here, she was overly obsessed with her appearance, she really didn't listen to him at all, and she displayed a total indifference to her calling as Slayer. She simply would not follow any of the rules that most all other Slayers had adhered to, and frankly Giles didn't have a clue on how to deal with her, other than to just teach her what he could and sit back while she made her own way. Truth be told, as morbid and sad as it was, he didn't expect to know her long at all…the way she behaved now on patrol.

"Fine," Buffy spoke again, resigning at his silence, "You don't have to answer. Are we done here?"

"Buffy," Giles started shaking his head, "It is true that I have little experience in dealing with teenage girls, and I thank the Lord for that," he added, "But, even if that is the case, I most certainly do not hold any contempt for you."

"One day you're gonna have to use less words in a sentence."

Giles scoffed at her and sat back in his seat, "Well, I shall not offer any form of comfort in the future if all I'll receive his criticism."

"Sorry Giles." Buffy said dutifully and dropped her gaze to the table.

He watched her stifle a yawn and heard her speak again, "I'm just tired, that's all. We were out so late last night and I had a history test first period…"

"Perhaps of you gave up the frivolous extracurricular activities that you insist you engage in." Giles suggested and Buffy glared at him.

"I spent two hours at the Bronze with my friends, who by the way, I hardly see at all during the week." She defended angrily.

"And of this pep squad endeavor?" he asked, eyebrows raised.

Buffy matched his condescending tone, "I'm not giving up cheerleading. You want me to be normal and not draw the attention of my parents than you're going to have to learn to live with it…"

"Never, in the history of the craft did a Slayer have so many distractions…"

"I'm not giving up my friends and I'm not giving up cheerleading. That's what I am…those two things…that's all I am…"

"Not any more. Now the world, literally, rests on you're shoulders." Giles took a deep breath as his charge focused again on the patterns in the wood of the table, "Listen Buffy, I know you don't like it, but there are certain aspects of your life that must be altered. You are the Slayer now…frankly you are lucky that you are still residing with your family…"

Buffy looked at him with wide eyes, "So what? You guys take away these girls social lives and then move them into a commune filled with old men?" She shook her head, "Are you sure they're dying from demonic causes, cuz I'm halfway sure it's self inflicted."

"Are we quite through?" Giles asked standing up and preparing to put his helmet back in place.

"I am," Buffy stood up. "I've been awake since forever and I'm going home. I'll see you tonight at Westlake Park." Buffy started out of the door not waiting for a response from the older man, but suddenly turned to add, "I said I'd slay things, but I'm gonna do it on my terms. If you want this job done for however long I'm able to do it, I suggest that the rule book you're reading from gets rewritten or thrown out." And with that she turned and left the room.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

End Part 3


	4. Before the Fall of Rome Part 4

Title: Before the Fall of Rome (4/?)

Author: Brooke 

Email: yabbadabbadome13@yahoo.com 

Rating: R

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. I wished I owned the two Xanders' from "The Replacement" though. Buffy and friends are owned by Joss, Mutant Enemy, 20th Century Fox, The UPN and whoever else has rights to the show. 

Summary: You remember all that crap that started post-puberty…yeah, it's great isn't it. It was when life started

Distribution: I don't know why anybody would want this, but if somebody does…sure. 

Feedback: Definitely!! Tell me if it sucked or if you liked it. Whatever. Just write back!

Authors Note: Takes place in an AU season 1 where Buffy and Xander are best friends and Willow is the new girl as Sunnydale High. It is the beginning of their sophomore year and, as 15 and 16 year olds, hormones and feelings are taking center stage

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was about 5:30 when Buffy finally opened the front door of her home, immediately dropping her book and gym bags on the floor. She had called Willow from her cell phone from the locker room after she had stormed out on Giles in the library and told her that they would have to reschedule the mall trip. Willow had understood, and said that it was probably good idea since her tutoring session with Xander was running a lot bit long.

Buffy was glad that the locker room was completely empty as she proceeded to take one of the longest and hottest showers she ever had all while laughing bitterly to herself.

Tutoring session with Xander…

She had completely forgotten, and she had been so pissed at him during her training session with Giles that he hadn't shown for the end of her practice that she could hardly even see straight. And here he was taking her up on her suggestion that he ask Willow for help with math. 

But, Buffy justified herself, that excuse only stood for today…why he had been MIA the rest of the week was completely out of line. She knew he wasn't studying every afternoon the whole week.

Buffy sighed and wandered into the kitchen, tucking her still wet hair behind her ears as she headed for the refrigerator. 

"What?" her mother's voice beckoned from the counter behind her, "I don't get a greeting? Not that I'd expect one, being as though I don't even get a call when you're going to be three hours late from school."

Buffy shut her eyes for a moment before turning and speaking to her mother, "Hi mom," she promptly turned and restarted her rummage through the fridge. "I'm sorry about that, practice…"

"Was over at 3:45," Joyce exasperated, "I got the schedule in the mail." She heard Buffy sigh, but still refuse to meet her gaze, "So…where were you?"

"At school." Buffy answered simply.

"Doing what?"

"Studying. Listen mom, I just lost track of time…" Buffy grabbed the loaf of bread and the jar of peanut butter and headed to the kitchen island.

"I wasn't aware that studying required a shower afterwards," Joyce commented as she moved about the kitchen, busying herself with preparing dinner, "And dinner is almost ready," she noted when she saw Buffy getting ready to make a sandwich.

"I wasn't aware that I couldn't bathe when I choose too," Buffy commented in much the same way her mother had, "And I'm hungry now, I didn't eat lunch…"

"Well, what were you doing then," Joyce removed a dish from the stove, "I mean, you weren't on campus…" she threw in, "At least that's what the school called to tell me."

Buffy rolled her eyes and sighed. Giles had sent her out to case this house that he said there was a vampire nest in…it was where she was going to go clear out tonight. She had missed fourth through sixth period walking through Sunnydale trying to find the goddamned place…and apparently somebody had noticed. "I went for a run."

Joyce just narrowed her eyes at her daughter who refused to look at her, knowing that she was lying. "Buffy," she started watching her put the two peanut butter smothered pieces of bread together and move to put the ingredients away, "I don't want you to lie to me…"

"Who's lying?" Buffy asked, picking up her sandwich, "I was having a bad day, and you know working out helps me get through that…"

"Not in the middle of the day, it doesn't." Joyce disagreed, "Now I didn't tell your father, but I don't want this to happen again."

"Yes mother," Buffy sighed and walked towards the door.

Joyce suddenly became angry at her daughters attitude. "I always assumed that you could tell me anything…that you would tell me anything…if something was going on…with you."

"Well, I guess you assumed wrong," Buffy mumbled from the doorway.

"Buffy Anne Summers," Joyce said angrily. Buffy turned around slowly, knowing that tone meant that her mother wouldn't take anymore shit from her. "You will not walk away from me." Buffy nodded dumbly and remained in place. "You can tell me anything," Joyce continued more calmly, "I want to help you…"

Buffy rose her hand to take a bite of her sandwich, but then lowered it before she could, "Mom," she tried to sound reassuring; "There's nothing to help…seriously."

"I know you broke up with Scott, and if this is because…"

"It's not," Buffy cut in hastily, "It's not about him…it's not about anything…there's nothing for it to be about, really."

Joyce nodded, still not believing her, "I know you're growing up Buffy…I know…things...are changing…with you. I want you to know we can talk about it. We can talk about anything."

Buffy regarded her mother as she seemed to have forgotten momentarily about the dinner she was fixing. She could she the obvious concern in her eyes, but then again, it was always there, she was a mom. Buffy sighed, considering how easy it would be to just tell her mother everything. She could tell her all about the Slaying and she would forbid it based solely on the insaneness of the whole idea and Buffy would never have to do it again. Her life could get back to normal and then she could focus on her more normal problems…namely one Xander Harris, and worrying whether or not she passed her biology quiz, and talking her Dad into buying her a car when she got her permit. 

Or she would tell her Mom everything and she would have her committed to the Sunnydale Institute, because, lets face it, vampires and demons are figments of the imagination. Buffy'd have to be crazy to think that her mother would buy that she was dead tired because she spent an average of six hours a day training and fighting "fake" monsters every night. Oh, she'd for sure be committed. But her Mom had no idea about that aspect of her life, and she seemed to think the root of all Buffy's problems lay in the boy-factor…that she could work with…

"We already had that talk," Buffy smirked for the first time and listened to her mother release a breath. "You remember boys and girls and how they're different, and all find out about that once I fall in love well after the age of 25… To tell you the truth, I kinda lost Dad when he started talking about squirrels and trees and the Love Handshake, and that was pretty early on."

Joyce laughed, relaxing a little bit, "I may never be able to undo the damage done by that conversation. Now, at least I know to handle it myself with Dawn."

Buffy chuckled and nodded in agreement, "Listen Mom, nothing is going on. And if it were I'd tell you…I promise." Buffy hated herself for building up her mother's confidence and then lying right to her face. "I'm gonna go to my room now," she said now backing out of the kitchen, "I'm gonna go to the Bronze later."

Joyce nodded and watched her leave, "I'll call you when dinner's done," she called out after her and heard her daughter yell "Okay" back down the steps.

Buffy walked up the steps while eating her sandwich, thinking how good it was to finally be thinking about nothing but the two tasks of chewing and walking. Oh how she loved the simple life. Now all she had to do was ensure that her mother didn't have any other reasons to be suspicious of her activities…she'd have to be extra crafty to pull that off, since she had only been the Slayer for a couple weeks and she was already being questioned. She'd have to run by something with Giles to offer an excuse…like, a book club or something, she thought.

"Loser," she heard her little sister's voice call from behind her just as she was about to step into the sanctuary of her room. 

Buffy sighed and looked over her shoulder, "What do you want Dawn?" she asked in her patented 'I hate you' voice, which was reserved for Dawn, Cordelia, and sometimes Jesse and Xander.

"I need to wear your purple tank top," the ten year old spoke as she stepped out into the hall.

"Why?" Buffy turned to question her, and then narrowing her eyes when she saw the girl already had the shirt in question on. "Did you go through my room to get that?" she asked taking a step towards her.

"You don't even wear it anymore!" Dawn yelled.

"It doesn't matter if I don't wear it, it's my shirt! And I told you NEVER to go into my room!" Buffy yelled back.

"Why," the younger girl questioned, "You afraid I'll find your precious diary in the super secret hiding place under you pillow." She watched her sister's eyes widen momentarily and continued, "Besides, this shirt probably doesn't even fit you anymore," Dawn smirked and gestured to the half sandwich in Buffy's hand. "Plus, Mom said I could have it."

Buffy sneered at her younger sister, trying to fight every urge to go over there and rip the shirt off of her… and possibly beat her for searching through her room, she'd play that by ear. "It's not hers to give."

"But it doesn't fit you anymore, right Tubbs?" Dawn laughed.

The older girl turned briefly to set the sandwich in her room before facing Dawn again, "At least I've got something for it to fit to…why do you even want it, it's just hanging on you."

Now it was Dawn's turn to sneer back, "Should I ask Scott Hope about that?"

"Prick." Buffy shot at her.

"Slut."

"Brat."

"Mutant."

"Adopted." Buffy finished off triumphantly and watched her sister's face fall. The 'adopted' comment always won the war if she didn't break after the 'slut' shot.

"DAD!!!!!!!!" Dawn shrieked, and Buffy watched as Hank Summers stumbled half asleep out of the master bedroom.

He wiped his hand over his face and through his hair as he approached his youngest daughter, "What is it Dawny?" he asked with sleepy concern.

"Look what you did now," Buffy accused her sister angrily; "You woke Dad up. Way to go, you little walking turd."

"I'd rather be a walking turd than a dumb, fat cheerleader…who skipped school for half the day," Dawn added with a bright smile just as Hank reached her.

Buffy narrowed her eyes at the girl as her father rose to face her, now suddenly awake. "What's that Buffy?" he asked looking at her from the other end of the hall.

"I heard Mom listen to the message when we got home," Dawn spoke to her father while receiving the death glare from her sister. "She skipped three classes."

Hank rubbed his eyes, "Go watch some TV, Sweetie." He told the younger girl, leaving Dawn to run down the steps while sticking her tongue out at Buffy on her way.

Buffy just glared at her in promise that she would receive a sever ass kicking once their parents left her with babysitting duties. "Dad…"

"I will not have you skipping school Buffy," her father spoke, unwilling to listen to whatever she had to say.

She hung her head under her dad's disapproving gaze. "I don't know what's been going on with you recently Buffy, but it stops here. You're grounded." He settled.

Buffy's eyes flew up to meet his and widened in protest, "DAD!!! You can't…"

"Every second you spend arguing with me over what I _can't do is one more week you'll be spending your nights at home, with no phone and no TV."_

Buffy dropped her head, trying to contain her anger at the situation. She had always threatened to kill Dawn before, but now….now she had the physical means to make it a reality. "I already promised Xander I'd meet them at the Bronze tonight…"

"Well you're going to cancel." Hank stated.

"I hardly even see him…them... anymore…" Buffy pleaded.

"You'll see them at school. And at the end of two weeks, I'll decide whether or not you'll see them on weekends."

"Two weeks?!" Buffy whined, her voice involuntarily high pitched, "It's not like I robbed a bank…"

"Three weeks. Don't push me Buffy."

She dropped her head, her teeth grit together and her father was speaking again, "Now wash up and get ready for dinner. You're going to eat one meal this week with your family."

Buffy watched him with narrowed eyes as he turned and walked back into his room, leaving her alone in the hall with her seething anger. She turned on her heel and stamped into her bedroom, making sure to slam the door behind her. 

She couldn't stop the tears anymore and she dropped herself into her bed, burying her face in the pillows as her body wracked with sobs. Buffy had claimed to hate her life before, but now it was true. She hated her fucking life…she hated every part of it…

Her chin was shaking as she pulled back from the pillows and she sniffed to control her tears. She had to get out of here. Buffy quickly pushed herself off the bed and stumbled across the room to lock the door; hopefully after that incident they wouldn't even expect her at the dinner table. She wiped at her eyes clumsily and made her way to the window.

Xander fixed these things for her, and things had gotten beyond being able to be fixed by a four hour long phone call, and the crowded atmosphere of the Bronze couldn't facilitate how she needed her friend. She needed just them and everything else would fall into place.

Buffy made her way over to her window and opened it, easily slipping outside onto the porch roof. She had been doing this ever since she began patrolling so now she had a fool proof plan to get to the ground safely, and she slipped over the side of the house and dropped quietly to the ground below, just to the right of one of the living room windows. She didn't look back as she took off in a full tilt run towards the Harris house, hoping against hope that Xander was back form studying with Willow…and if not, he had a low roof right outside his window as well, so she'd make do. Buffy would wait for him all night, if she had too, because right now this was all she had left.

*~*~*

Buffy wiped her hands down the sides of the gray sweat pants she was wearing to dry them of the sweat that had accumulated during her run to his house. She could see the lights on in the living room, but decided against ringing the doorbell. 

She figured that if her parents found out that she wasn't in her room, Xander's would be the first they called, and if Xander's parents knew she was there, they would probably, under section 7 code B of the parents code, give her up. If that were to happen, with the way her father was over-reacting, she would probably loose her "privilege" of hanging out with him all together. Her father was already getting skeptical of her close relationship with Xander, and even though Hank tried to hide it, the fact that he barged into her room every fifteen minutes whenever the teenaged boy was in his home proved otherwise.

Buffy gripped the drain pipe on the side of the house and hoisted herself up using her newfound strength to her full advantage. She climbed onto the primary porch roof and stuck to the wall as she inched towards Xander's window, seeing the yellow light emanating from within. She had ducked to clear the window at the end of the hall way in hopes of avoiding his parents seeing her, but rose slightly once she reached the outside of his room. Using her Slayer stealth, as she had dubbed it, Buffy peered into the corner of the window and her breath involuntarily caught in her throat.

Xander stood with his back to the window, towel wrapped around his waist and another draped over his shoulders. Buffy swallowed and watched him dig through a drawer, eventually pulling out a black tank top and pulling it over his head. He's probably getting ready to come over to my place so we can go to the Bronze. she thought, but then gasped and lost her balance, dropping into a seated position on the roof and loosing her line of sight into the room. Although her tears had since stopped she was shaking again…she supposed that was what she deserved, playing "peeping tom" on her best friends roof…not that she had meant to…it was just so tempting…and now she had seen…

Xander had always seemed more lanky than built to her, even in the summer when they had gone to the beach and he had spent the majority of the time in just board shorts. But, she had guessed the swim team workouts did have there advantages, as he seemed to have…filled out…muscle-wise, at least from behind. Buffy giggled and smiled a little to herself…Xander's ass wasn't bad…not bad at all. She wondered about the front…

She collected herself and craned her head up slightly to look back through the window…

Xander glanced towards his window when he thought he heard something fall outside. "What the…" He pulled on some basketball shorts and headed for it.

He stopped suddenly, "Weapon," he reminded himself and snatched up the nearest object…his hair brush. Xander snorted and threw it back down on the dresser, "Very threatening…Oh, mister intruder, please don't attack me, not when I can help you get rid of those pesky split ends…" he chastised himself while he looked for something heavier. His first place regionals swim meet trophy. 

Xander quickly grabbed it up and headed across the room. He peered outside into the darkness and saw nothing, which meant nothing; because the sound he heard was too close…it came from the roof. He took a deep breath and steeled himself and gripped the window frame with one hand. He flung the window open with one hand and raised the trophy with the other, prepared to bash it over the head of the sick perv who was watching him get dressed. "I GOT YOU…Buffy?"

Buffy fell back again at his yell and her hands came up to shield her face. "Buffy?" Xander asked again, his voice oozing concern as he tossed the weapon onto his bed and extended his hand to her through the window.

He pulled her into the room, "How long have you been there?" he asked immediately his tone turning more embarrassed than anything else, "Cuz I just got outta the shower and…"

Buffy allowed him to pull her inside and ducked her face to hide her blush, "Not long," she said quietly, setting herself before she looked at him. She raised her face slowly and realization dawned on his features instantaneously.

"What's the matter Buffy?" he asked his eyes wide as he gripped her shoulders, "Why couldn't you use the door? Did something happen after practice…I told Jesse to wait for you…"

Buffy shook her head and peered at him in a total sense of awe that he had actually told Jesse to watch out for her when he knew that he couldn't be there himself. Xander was always doing things like that for her. "I didn't want your parents to know I was here," she admitted, "I sorta snuck out…Dad totally wigged on me…"

Xander's hand rose to cup her face, seeing that her eyes were still red, and there were still slightly blotchy spots on her cheeks. Buffy always got blotchy after she had been crying. "What happened?"

Buffy involuntarily leaned into his warm palm, but it was removed as soon as he recognized the action and she felt him move them completely as he sat them down on the edge of his bed. "I just…there's so much," her voice caught in her throat, "and you…you've been avoiding me…and I just…I needed you, and I wasn't allowed to leave the house tonight…"

Xander gave her a lopsided grin and denied, "I have not been avoiding you…How could I possibly avoid you?"

"Easy," Buffy was beginning to sniffle again, "you see me and then you run the other way…"

"That's insane Buffy. You know I don't run anywhere." He joked.

Buffy didn't even acknowledge his joke, but instead kept talking, "And you stopped coming to my practices…and calling me…"

"I called," Xander insisted, "You didn't return them…I got the feeling that you didn't want to talk to me…"

Buffy sighed and looked down at the bed, "That's all I want."

Xander watched as she brought her feet up onto his bed and hugged her knees to herself, "All I've wanted all week was to talk to you," she admitted softly not meeting his gaze, but feeling it on her. "There's so much I need to tell you that I just couldn't over the phone…or with everybody around."

"Well you've got me cornered now," he joked and punched her lightly in the knee.

"And I can't tell you," she whispered, "I can't tell you anything..."

Now Xander was confused, "You're going to have to help me here Buff, cuz I don't know what you're getting at here. Should I guess what's wrong?" He waited for her to respond…to even look at him, but she didn't. "Or maybe I wouldn't get it in a million years," he added bitterly and scooted himself back towards the head board. "I used to be able to bat a thousand in the 'What's Buffy Thinking' game." He pointed out, in a sad tone, with his eyes closed, "Now…now I'm lucky to even hit a grounder. I don't know…"

Xander trailed off and his eyes snapped open when he felt the bed shift under her movement and suddenly his right shoulder was pinned to the mattress by Buffy's weight. She shimmied up next to him and fit her head under his shin as she aligned her body beside his, her right arm draping across his chest and grasping the minimal amount of excess fabric of his tank top. When Buffy next released a breath he felt it warm his chest through the thin material.

He hadn't been expecting this, so, completely unsure of how to react, raised his arm slightly and encircled it around her waist. "Is this ok?" he asked quietly against the top of her head.

Buffy nodded slightly against him, "This is what I needed." She whispered, "I don't know anything but this anymore." This was the first time in a long time that she was completely defenseless in front of anybody…there was nobody that she trusted herself enough to. Buffy resigned to just let herself feel through this situation, not to over think and excessively analyze, but to just be here. She let out another deep breath and moved even closer against him, smiling as she felt him tense momentarily at increase in contact before forcing himself to relax against her.

"Didn't you miss this?" Buffy asked after a few minutes of silence.

Xander was caught up in staring down at the top of her head and was startled by the question, "Uh…yeah…"he croaked out nervously, "I did…I missed _us."_

"Me too," Buffy whispered again and let her eyes drop close, "I missed us."

Xander had seen confused, walked passed it, and was now careening into the land of 'What in the holy fuck in going on here?!'. He had no idea on how to read this. All week she had been preoccupied with something and had treated him like it didn't matter if he spoke to her or took up permanent residence in Iceland. But now, she had come over to his house…snuck over to his house crying in the dark proclaiming that she 'just needed to see him' and she 'missed them' and now with the major snuggleage. And that just made things more difficult since, as a guy, he was finding it difficult to concentrate on what he wanted to. He wanted to find out just what exactly it was that she wanted to talk about, but insisted that he couldn't know…but feeling Buffy pressed up against him, all soft and solid and warm, just like he had been dreaming about day and night for months…and hearing her breath against him, apparently inhaling his scent through his shirt every so often…her breasts, which he had been more than a little preoccupied with for the last little while, pressed tightly against his side…her hand clutching at his shirt, clinging to him as if she had found something she had thought she lost and now never intended to let go again…

It all made forming proper sentences pretty hard on him.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath his senses being flooded by the scent of Buffy's shampoo, telling him that she had obviously showered before coming to see him. Xander's exhale brought with it a low rumble from his chest, which he tried to cover up with a small throat clear and he adjusted his legs slightly…speaking of hard on him…

"Well," his voice was raspy and he tried to think about his grandma Ruth and various episodes of 'When Animals Attack' to side track the response his body was having involuntarily. He couldn't risk Buffy glancing down and seeing his hard on, thus forever proving that he was a huge pig because while she needed him as a shoulder to cry on, he was using her as fuel for a never ending wet dream. "We're here now."

Buffy shifted her right legs and moved it over his and Xander inhaled a sharp breath as her thigh came to rest right over his groin, putting a slight pressure on him…but she didn't move it…she just lay tense for a moment before relaxing again. "Can I tell you something Xander?" she asked finally, ignoring what she thought she felt against her leg.

Xander gulped, "Uh huh."

Buffy swallowed, knowing that this situation was awkward. Rest assured, it went both ways. She had little first hand contact with the boy in the horny variety, outside of Scott, but she had learned all about that stuff in sex-ed last year. And truth be told, she had never, until recently, even considered Xander in that light, even after she realized that she was harboring a huge crush on him. Until now…her best friends erection pressed against her leg, was the most contact that she'd ever had with the male sexual organ…besides when Scott had tried to get her to touch his and she had derailed that make-out session as if she were suddenly afraid that she'd catch the Ebola virus if it lasted one more minute longer.

But now the only way to deal with the situation seemed to be to act as if it were completely normal- for them, since, she assumed, other than the fact that it was them together, it was completely normal.

"You have to promise just to listen to it first," she insisted, still not looking up at him.

"I promise," he said wondering why she sounded so ashamed all of the sudden. It made his stomach lurch at all the possibilities of the things she could possibly want to tell him, but felt that she couldn't…what could possibly drive her aversive demeanor earlier in the week. He didn't know what this was about, but he was already pretty sure he would have to kick Scott's ass tomorrow.

"This is going to sound stupid…you'll think I'm crazy…"

"I'm a firm believer that as a woman you're already predisposed to crazy," he joked without a laugh. "Just tell me Buff…whatever it is I want to know."

Buffy took a deep breath, "Nobody else is supposed to know this."

I promise I won't tell anybody Buffy…I swear it'll just stay in this room."

She could tell when he was being totally honest. She was one of the few people who got to see this side of Alexander Harris…she might be the only one…the only one who didn't just get the joker. "Do you believe in vampires?" she asked quietly while tightening her hold on him and pulling herself just a little closer.

"Vampires?" Xander repeated, serious doubt clouding his voice, "Like from the movies…like Dracula?"

Buffy bit her lower lip, "Do you?" she repeated.

"Naw, Buff," Xander chuckled a little and felt Buffy move to pull away. He let her go, unsure of why she wanted more distance between them and if it was his place to protest. "That stuff is fake." He said finally able to see her eyes. She still looked so serious, and now a little bit hurt.

"What if I told you that I do believe in them?" she questioned again, wincing as he laughed again.

"Are you for real Buff?" he asked, propping himself up on his elbows to face her as she leant against the wall, hugging her knees to her chest again. "You're afraid that you can't tell me about _vampires?"_

I'm so dumb. Buffy chastised herself, So fucking dumb. "See, it's stupid."

At least I'm not hard anymore, Xander thanked God as Buffy was now wide awake and looking directly at him. "Not stupid," he disagreed, "Just confusing…what's this about? Why does it matter if I believe in vampires or not?"

"Because they're real," Buffy shot out looking him dead in the eyes. She watched as his brown orbs crinkled slightly at the sides and his face broke out in a huge smile.

"This is a pretty elaborate joke, even for you Buffy Anne," he shook his head in disbelief, "You had me thinking that something was seriously wrong…"

"They're real and I kill them." Buffy stated brimming with determination. She would get this out come hell or high water…what ever that meant. "That's what's seriously wrong."

Xander stopped laughing…stopped breathing completely and tilted his head to look at her. Buffy's clear green eyes focused dead on his, wide open and fierce confidence in her avowal brimming with-in. She believed in what she was telling him…she wasn't joking. Xander knew Buffy, he knew her better than anybody; better that her own parents even, he reasoned…and because of this he knew that there was no way that she could keep a straight face for this long during a joke. Buffy was, right now, telling him the God's honest truth and Xander sat up completely to face her.

Buffy followed his movements with her eyes and continued speaking, "This place…this town…it's on a Hellmouth," she said, "It's a center of evil mystical conversance…there's all sorts of things out there…things that everybody thinks are fake, thinks are make believe. They're not…every one of them is real."

"There're monsters?" Xander asked in just above a whisper his eyes darting momentarily towards his still open window at the black night sky.

Buffy nodded in response, "Everything you were afraid of was out there or in your closet or under your bed when you were a kid…they're all real." Buffy told him. "They're real and it's my job to balance it out."

"Balance it out?" he repeated, refocusing on her.

"Just like there's mystical evil, there's a mystical good." Buffy shook her head, "And it's me. There's this thing…this essence that one girl in every generation gets…it makes her stronger and quicker…and I got it." Buffy focused on the opposite wall as she tried to find the words, she couldn't remember exactly what Giles had told her about it, but she thought she had the gist of it well enough to offer a half decent explanation. "I'm the Slayer." She said finally.

Xander looked at her for a moment longer and Buffy shifted under his gaze, "You think I'm crazy, don't you?" she asked disappointedly, "I shouldn't've said anything…"

"You're a super hero." Xander stated recalling how easily Buffy was now able to push him across the school hall way, still looking at her in disbelief, "You're so small…" he added in wonder.

Buffy narrowed her eyes at him and his awed expression wilted, "Sorry," he squeaked out. "I don't think you crazy," he added for her benefit, "I still don't understand…"

"See," Buffy interjected, "It's Giles," she said excitedly and Xander looked at her confused again, "the librarian," she added and he nodded, "He's my Watcher…"

"I knew that guy was a sicko…"

"He watches me slay these demons…he takes notes on it and everything, tells me where the hot spots are…that kind of thing." Buffy corrected his assumptions and noted how his posture visibly relaxed.

"So he told you about all this on the first day of school?" Xander asked, "When you completely narked out on me for the first time."

"And I've had to train, like, everyday…and…"

"At night you what? Kill these things? That's why you skip out on us at the Bronze. That's why you're always hella tired." Realization dawned on his face. 

"So you believe me?" Buffy asked hopefully. "It's not that I didn't want to spend time with you…I always want to spend time with you…it's just been so much…it's been everyday, and it's not going to stop…"

"Well now that you've told me, we can work together," Xander told her and she could see his mind working a mile a minute, "You're work load'll be cut in half…I mean, since we can't tell Jesse or Willow, it'll just be the two of us but…"

"It's just me Xander," Buffy stated, forcing him to stop talking, "It's just me."

"But what about…"

"You don't understand," Buffy was suddenly sad again, "You don't understand that it has to just be me…I don't want you to get hurt…"

"You don't think I'd risk that for you?" Xander asked seriously. "You think I'll be able to sleep at night knowing you're out fighting the boogieman?"

Buffy sighed, "You're going to have to, because that's how it's going to be. Xander, Slayers…they work alone."

"How? These are real live monsters you're talking about…how do you even kill them?"

"Vampires are a stake thought the heart, holy water, sunlight…anything you've seen in the movies basically. The rest pretty much die just like humans…stabbing, fire, breaking their necks, all that stuff…" Buffy took a breath and regained her thoughts, "But that doesn't matter to you. I have to do this alone…"

Xander licked his lips and sighed, not quiet believing that she didn't want his help. How could she think that he'd let her do this alone. Slayer or not this was still his best friend, still his Buffy. "I want to help you. I don't want you out there alone…"

"It's my destiny Xander…"

"I don't care. If it's your destiny then it's mine now too."

"You don't get it, and I'm sorry that I can't explain it to you." Maybe this was why she was forbidden to tell people about her being the Slayer…maybe only watchers had the credentials to explain it properly.

Xander set his jaw, not accepting her refusal, "Maybe you should try again."

"There is one Slayer." Buffy matched his tone. "She fights the forces on darkness alone with only the guidance of her Watcher. Not her friends. Until the next is called."

"So when does that happen?" Xander asked, "Why call you?"

"I don't know why call me." Buffy said angrily, "Probably because the last one died…and when I die there'll be someone else."

Her quiet sad tone stopped his heart as much as the sentence she had just completed. It all fell into place, all she was dealing with…it all made sense to him now. "That's not going to happen," he said in a low tone, "Tell this…Giles…tell him that you won't do it."

"There is no telling anybody I won't do it. I just do until…" she trailed off, not liking how that sentence had to end.

"No." Xander was standing suddenly. He was looking down at her on the bed as she focused on the wall to his right and she looked so vulnerable to him…even smaller than usual. He had never wanted to protect her more than he did right now. "I'm not going to let that happen Buffy, I promise you."

"You can't stop it," she whispered, "That's how it ends. That's the only way it'll end." She sighed and turned to face him, trying to force a smile, but it broke immediately and she started to cry again. Only this time she was enfolded into Xander's arms as he climbed back onto the bed and pulled her to his chest; giving just what she had come to him for. He rocked her back and forth slightly as he rested in his shins in front of her, "I'll stop it," he swore into her hair over and over again, "I'll stop it."

Buffy sniffled, but did not pull away from him. "I've got to go clear out this nest tonight…I was training all afternoon…I skipped some classes to stake out the house," her voice was muffled by his shoulder. "Snyder must've noticed and called my house, that's why Dad grounded me."

Xander wanted to tell her to tell her parents what she had just told him, but then quickly realized that that could, potentially do more harm than good, and decided against it. He didn't know what to say to her. He had no idea what it must be like for her to be forced to go out night after night and have all the odds for her coming home stacked against her. Well, now he did. Now he was dealing with the same thing twice over. "Where is this house?"

"I'm not going to tell you," Buffy heard him sigh against her; "You might try to pull your infamous Superman routine. I know you too well Xander."

"Please tell me where it is," Xander asked again, "I just want to know where you're going…call it for my own piece of mind. I promise I won't go after you."

He felt Buffy pushing him lightly as he held her and let his body lean back, soon finding himself reclined in their previous snuggled positions. "Just hold me some more," she asked in a small voice, "Until I have to leave."

"Only if you tell me," he refused to wrap his arm around her. 

"Promise you'll stay in Xander."

"I'll stay in. I just don't want to spend the whole night wondering where you're at…"

"1345 Newberry." Buffy told him as she reached behind her and grabbed his right arm, pulling it around her waist.

Xander smiled as she rested against him. He knew exactly where that place was…he could get there just to make sure that she was safe. There was no way she'd do this alone…have to face death alone. "So no Bronze tonight?" he joked silently and pulled her a little closer, silently saying that he had no intention of letting her go. 

"No Bronze," Buffy yawned and adjusted her head against his neck. "Just us. For a little while, just us."

Just us, Xander agreed to himself silently thanking his parents for not checking on him. This little scene would definitely draw more suspicions about his relationship with his best friend…hell; he was already confused at all of this. Xander shut his eyes and listened to Buffy's breathing become more even. He wondered what time she had to leave to go to this house, not that he would ever wake her to go kill demons. He let his mind drift and fell into a sound sleep for the first time in weeks.

*~*~*

Xander was startled awake by the feel of Buffy poking him in the side of the neck. "Wake up," she whispered accentuated by another poke before repeating the phrase again. His eyes opened and he look up blurrily towards the ceiling before turning his gaze slightly towards her face.

"I'm up, I'm up," he mumbled sleepily, trying to squint the sleep out of his eyes. "What's the matter?" he asked after he regained his bearings. 

"Nothing," Buffy said and earned his glare, "Jesse just kept calling…I told him we'd reschedule the Bronze get together…"

Xander raised an eye brow at her, "You answered my phone?" 

Buffy was looking down and didn't see his mouth turn into a slight smile, "Well it was ringing a lot…and you seemed so tired…"

Xander forced his grin away and tried to look serious when she turned her eyes back to his, "Did he say anything?" Xander was slightly fearful of what his other friend might think when Buffy answered in private line at…10:48 at night…and probably saying that he was asleep. He knew that Jesse had recently developed a tendency to pry for details about Xander's relationship…or lack there of with the female faction of their group, and this situation would probably brook a good three days of questioning and lewd comments. It almost made Xander wish that half of the things that Jesse thought were going on between himself and Buffy were actually going on…that would literally make him a living legend amongst the male population at Sunnydale High.

Buffy shrugged her shoulders slightly, "He was just wondering if we were going to show…"

"He asked if _we were going to show?"_

"Well, he said 'were in the fuck are you Harris?! I'm dying here, Paige is totally macking on some other dude and I need serious back-up'" Buffy repeated the conversation as best as she could remember. "Why?"

Xander shook his head, "I was just wondering…sometimes he…he might think the wrong thing…"

She watched him stumble over his words and narrowed her eyes at him, "You can call him back to tell him that you'll be there…and clear up whatever…"

He caught her tone and wiped his hand over his face, "I'm just gonna stay here tonight. All of the sudden midnight strolls down Main Street don't seem so choice anymore…"

"I could walk you on my way to meet Giles." Buffy told him.

"Nah," Xander refused, "I'll just stay here…worry about you…change my shirt…" he looked at her suddenly with a small smile and Buffy turned, finding the wall very interesting. "I don't remember you being quiet so spitty in the past…" he fingered a small wet spot on the right side of his shirt.

"Sorry," Buffy said quickly.

"Quiet alright. I just never figured you for a drooler." Xander joked, "I gotta say, it's going to ruin a lot of my fantasies were we sleep together."

Buffy turned her head to him, "Well; now you've got the reality."

If you only knew… "Touché." Xander sighed and rolled his neck, trying to work out the kinks.

"I'm going to trail Jess and Wills home before I hit the Slayage…the Bronze closes soon." Buffy told him. She looked briefly around his room, her eyes finding a picture of them from the shore that summer on his desk by his door. They were on the deck in front of the pool and he was holding her piggy-back style on his back. She liked that picture, but she had let him have it after an hour of the puppy-dog eyes.

"Good idea," he agreed with her, "But what'll the demons think when they fond out that the big bad Slayer is playing personal bodyguard to the towns teenage population."

Buffy shrugged, "Probably that they'll still be able to get you. And since you're more meaty that either Jesse or Willow, that it's probably for the best."

"You won't protect me?!" Xander asked in mock hurt, his eyes wide.

Buffy seemed to think for a moment, "If you pay me." She smiled in his face.

"How much?" he asked, smirk in place, "Cuz I don't have any money…so if it's a lot, I'm willing to let you use my body in reparations."

Enter tension stage right. 

Buffy sat silent after his comment, not sure exactly what to say, and if he was even being as serious as she almost wanted him to be. In a process that had taken a couple weeks the idea of _being with Xander didn't seem like such a bad idea…she had reasoned it out initially that she would eventually have sex with someone, why not Xander? She knew him, she trusted him, she loved him…why not? But after further consideration it became about more than the common sense of the act and the choice of Xander…she wanted him…he made her feel all…weird sometimes, but a good weird, just a little bit tingly. And she liked that feeling…it was what she sometimes felt with Scott when they were hooking up, but she figured it was about more than that since she had never been in __that kind of contact with Xander, but just the thought was enough to give her __that feeling._

Xander suddenly became nervous too. I don't know why I said that! Shit! "I was just joking…you know I don't need you to save me…" he was trying to lighten the mood so the joker came out to play.

Don't say that…don't joke… Buffy's mind begged. She could say the right thing right here and they're relationship could be changed forever. She could say one phrase and it would let Xander know that his friendship was not nearly enough, and that she wanted more.

But he was talking again… "So, you're gonna head out then?"

Buffy nodded, "I should…get going. Giles'll…I don't know, do something English."

"Wouldn't want that," Xander agreed quietly still fairly embarrassed. He sat up with her when she climbed off his bed…

"Alex…" Xander's door came open just as Buffy's first foot hit the floor and both teens turned to face his mother.

"Mom," Xander started nervously, "Hey."

"Oh," Jane Harris looked slightly embarrassed at having barged into her son's room. "Buffy," she acknowledged in a surprised tone, "When did you get here? I didn't hear the door bell."

"I, uh…"

"Dad let her in…you must've been in the basement." Xander cut in for her.

"Oh," Jane nodded, before turning back to her son, "Are you staying in tonight honey?" she asked him, her eyes flicking between the two teens as she tried not to look like she had just caught them climbing off of his bed. Best friends or not, they were teenagers, and of opposite sexes…Jane remembered all about the hormones flying around at their age.

"Uh, yeah Ma," Xander told her.

"Is Buffy going to spend the night?" she asked next, seeing the girl standing nervously by the window wearing a tank top and sweatpants, looking like she had just woken up…possibly and probably in her son's bed… "You kids could microwave a pizza."

Xander forced a smile, "We're okay ma," he assured, "Buffy's on her way out."

Buffy nodded in agreement and headed towards the door.

"You aren't going to walk her home?" Jane asked in a motherly tone, "It's dark out."

"We know Ma. It's called night…" Xander smirked.

"I'm alright Mrs. Harris," Buffy said, "It's just a quick walk."

Jane nodded, her eyes still darting between that two of them as they shifted under her gaze. "Well, tell your mother I said hi," she said to Buffy with a warm smile. "And call when you get home, so we know you got there safely," she added, shooting her son a look.

Xander rolled his eyes while Buffy's small smile died. Her mother and Xander's mother were best friends…it was a huge part of why Xander and Buffy were too. It was why they had grown up together. Now Buffy _had to tell her mother that Mrs. Harris said hello thus giving up that she had snuck out of the house and spent the last 3 hours at Xander's. There was no possible way to avoid having to give up her cover because if she didn't relay the message, Mrs. Harris would, most likely, bring up the fact that she had been over at the house…then Buffy would have to explain why exactly she was at the house with nobody, but Xander knowing. Either way she was screwed and even more grounded than she was when she left her room…and the whole trust issue…well, needless to say, she could see that going up in a huge mushroom cloud. Now, once her mother found out that Jane had seen her climbing out of her son's bed, would she have to have a serious talk about something she __really didn't want to talk about, but her parents comfort level with her best friend was likely to become a flaming pile of rubble._

"Will do," Buffy tried to force her grin back in place.

Jane nodded and backed out of the room, shutting the door behind her. Xander waited a second before speaking. "At least she didn't see us lying next to each other." He reasoned when he saw her stressing.

"Small favors," Buffy humored him. She really didn't want to have to deal with her parents later, and she didn't want to have to go slay things now. And things would be easier if she and Xander's relationship would just fall into place so she could stop thinking about it. And if they were older she could just climb back into bed with him, like she so wanted to do, and it wouldn't matter to anybody…not that if she chose to climb into bed with him anybody but the two of them would have to know anyway…But she was only fifteen…Stop it Buffy! she scolded herself Just leave. The vampires'll give you something else to focus on

"Remember you promised to stay in tonight," she reminded him, and saw Xander's gaze fall guiltily to the floor.

"I was hoping you forgot about that," he looked up at her with his head still bowed.

"Yeah, I bet you did," Buffy reached out and punched him in the arm lightly.

Xander tried to fight his wince at the overly friendly gesture, that seemed to be for both of their benefits, and succeeded until Buffy spoke again. "I'll call you when I get in," she prompted, knowing that he would ask her to before she left.

He nodded briefly, "Well," he started, "If you… I mean…you could, if you want…"

Buffy looked at him confused and smirked, "Sentences, Xan."

"Yeah," he shook his head, "I don't know…"

Buffy sighed. Every step forward was like taking two backward with them. "Alright, I call…"

"I liked sleeping with you," Xander blurted out, and didn't bother to clarify the multiple meaning that could be construed with that statement. Buffy just looked at him, waiting for him to continue. "I could set my clock…if your parents think that you're in your room. When you're done…with the vampires and such…you could come back here and I'll wake you up early so you can go home." He got out finally.

Buffy looked at him shocked, trying to think of the correct answer for him. It seemed like he had had enough of the tap dancing routine they were engaging in daily.

Xander continued, "I haven't slept that good in weeks…I couldn't sleep because of you, and just then…I slept because of you…" he released a deep breath, kicking himself for even suggesting it. I t was completely unreasonable, and stupid. It was the worst idea in the world, no wonder he had thought of it. How could he ask her that…

If her parents checked her room it'd be her ass. That was all Buffy was thinking about. Her immediate mental response had been a screaming yes. Of course she wanted to spend the night at his place…and just sleep. That was all they would do, that was all they needed to do since the discussion portion of their relationship was still on life support. But if her dad decided to get the key and unlock her door and she wasn't there, and hadn't been all night…

If she spent the night with Xander…she was going to spend the night with Xander…

"Alright," she said quietly, "Leave your window unlocked…"

Xander's head shot up, a childlike excitement seeping into his expression and voice, "I'll wait up." He realized how foolish he must seem when she giggled at him and his smile turned embarrassed.

"It might be late when I get here," Buffy pointed out with a deep swallow.

"It's okay," Xander assured, "I won't be able to sleep till I hear from you anyway."

Buffy shook her head, "One day soon I'm going to want an explanation for comments like that." She told him without meeting his eyes, which she knew were focused on her.

"One day soon," Xander repeated her phrase, "I want to have the balls to give you one."

"Do you have one?" she asked with genuine curiosity and a sort of stare down commenced as they just looked at each other.

"I…"

Xander was interrupted by the sound of Buffy's beeper going of. "Shit," Buffy muttered as she read the number, "Giles." She looked at him apologetically. "I told him to beep me when I should meet him…"

"You better go," Xander said in just above a whisper, "You'll already be late if you follow Jesse and Willow."

"Yeah," Buffy agreed, "But I'll see you after," she told him, crooking her neck to catch his eyes and they shared a smile. Xander nodded in agreement as he watched Buffy move to open his door. "Before I go," she stopped and turned to face him, "what were you going to say?"

Xander gave her a lopsided grin and looked almost shy. "I have an answer," he told her, "I've had it for a while. I've just been wondering if it's the right one."

"Wondering?" Buffy questioned.

"Hoping," Xander corrected, "I hope it's the right one."

Buffy took another deep breath, hesitating yet again as she went to open the door. "Can I have the Spark Notes version before I go…I mean, you never know…"

Xander shook his finger at her, "Don't try to gain pity with the death card Buff," he scolded. Buffy fixed him with an exaggerated pout and looked up at him through her eyelashes. "I'd like to tell you the whole thing at one time," Xander reiterated.

"Fine," Buffy pouted one more time, "I'll wait…"

"Just think of it this way," Xander said as she opened the door, "It'll give you something to look forward to…a reason to live, if you will."

Buffy turned as she headed down the stairs and stuck her tongue out at him over the banister, "Just don't forget the window Harris," she called back and walked out of his sight.

Xander fell back onto his bed and shut his eyes, a blissful smile on his face. Buffy was going to spend the night with him…the whole night in his bed. He had spent so much time thinking about that…and to think all he had to do was ask. Huh, who know that would be true? He was one step closer to having everything in his life fall into place…be absolutely perfect. He was one step closer to having Buffy. Now all he had to do was keep his promise to her and wait until she climbed back through his window…

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 End Part 4

NEXT: Well, you'll have to wait and see, because the next time I post it'll be the remaining two chapters of When You Win ;)


	5. Before the Fall of Rome Part 5

Title: Before the Fall of Rome (5/?)

Author: Brooke 

Email: yabbadabbadome13@yahoo.com 

Rating: R

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. I wished I owned the two Xanders' from "The Replacement" though. Buffy and friends are owned by Joss, Mutant Enemy, 20th Century Fox, The UPN and whoever else has rights to the show. 

Summary: You remember all that crap that started post-puberty…yeah, it's great isn't it. It was when life started

Distribution: I don't know why anybody would want this, but if somebody does…sure. 

Feedback: Definitely!! Tell me if it sucked or if you liked it. Whatever. Just write back!

Authors Note: Takes place in an AU season 1 where Buffy and Xander are best friends and Willow is the new girl as Sunnydale High. It is the beginning of their sophomore year and, as 15 and 16 year olds, hormones and feelings are taking center stage

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"So Jesse was completely wigging because Paige was talking to hella guys, and I'm just like, Hello. Paige Durmot is the town bicycle…everybody, especially the football team, has had a ride. If _I tried to get her I could. She's such a total slut, which is why I thought he like her…I mean, I knew they were hooking up and Xander told me that they were__ hooking up, you know, but come on. Paige doesn't do boyfriends…she'll do another girls boyfriend, but she doesn't make a habit of maintaining her own…"_

Giles blinked again as Buffy spoke so fast it almost sounded like a high pitched hum. He cracked his neck and looked at the passing street signs Almost there, thank bloody God, we're almost there… his mind said, the hum continuing in the background.

He had no idea who any of these people who his charge was talking about were and had no desire to have this sorted glimpse into their personal lives. He had briefly seen Buffy with the boys Xander and Jesse, and remembered something about her pointing out various girls in the cheerleading team photo, one of whom may have been this Paige…but he still had yet to actually care.

"And then he said that he had sent Willow to do some recon with the situation, you know, use her feminine wiles to try to divert the team…which I personally don't think Willow is ready for, I mean, I've been working with her, wardrobe wise, but she's not ready for all that attention from drooly teenage boys…but none-the-less, she was trying when he called. AND I think it might work, at least with one of them because Amethyst told me that Hope told her that Percy was kinda digging what Willow was offering, which is a total 180 from when she first got here…"

"What's the matter with Willow's dress?" Giles muttered. Willow, he had met. A quiet shy girl…nice. She seemed the most put together of all Buffy's acquaintances. He almost felt Buffy's look of disbelief boring into the side of his face and he turned to see her quickly.

"Are you kidding me?" Buffy raised her eyebrows at the older man, "Who owns a brown corduroy dress? Who owns THREE of them? All together now, can we say 'The Softer Side of Sears'?"

Giles just focused on the road, "Don't you think that is a tad bit harsh? She is your friend…"

"And what kind of friend would I be if I couldn't offer constructive criticism?" Buffy asked genuinely as the car lurched to a stop in front of a rather large and dark house. "And thank you for pretending to be halfway interested in the conversation this time." She added. "I know my life gives you a headache."

Giles reached in the back seat for his weapons bag before opening the door of his small car, "It is a tad monotonous, yes," he muttered under his breath as he stepped out into the street, "And you're quiet welcome."

Buffy sneered at him as she stepped out of the passenger side onto the sidewalk. She had run home after she had left Xander's and snuck back into her room. Her door was still locked so she gathered that her assumptions that everybody thought that she was still to emotional to deal with family were correct. Buffy made it a point to stomp downstairs, while still in her sweatpants, and get a glass of juice to show that she was still upset…and still home for that matter. If she wasn't going to spend the night at home, an appearance to her parents at 11:15 would buy her the necessary time. She had stomped back up to her room and locked her door again before changing into a pair of black leather pants and a black tank top, as Giles had told her to dress accordingly, and climbed back out of her window.

At that point she was 20 minutes late, but the Bronze was closing…so she had run over there to wait for her friends to leave and then followed them to their respective homes. They lived fairly close to each other so it didn't take to much extra time, and plus she was already late so it didn't really matter anyway.

Then she had stopped by a 7-Eleven and gotten a frozen cappuccino…and then headed to Giles. And boy was he pissed. A fact which had prompted her excessive chatter, because, the way Buffy saw it, the more time she spent talking, the less time he would spend yelling at her, and hopefully after a few minutes he would forget that he was angry all together and focus on how to get her to shut up…and it seemed to have worked. Yes, Buffy was learning how to play Giles like a fiddle at the country fair, and soon, she knew, he would be helpless against her.

Her thoughts were interrupted as Giles thrust a short sword into her hands with an expectant gaze, "I trust you'll actually be fighting the forces of darkness tonight, or are we just here to stare?"

Of course she still had some work to do…breaking down men takes time. Buffy rolled her eyes at him and then glanced back to the house. "Are you sure I have to do this…maybe you could call and verify that I'm actually this Slayer…"

"Buffy…" Giles exasperated, only to be met with a rather sorry pout, if he were to judge.

"I'm just saying," she started again, "Don't you think that I should have gotten some sort of notice in the mail…a call from the Head Watcher…a plaque of some sort?"

Giles simply looked at her sternly, "I shall be timing you. There are about 16 vampires…"

"SIXTEEN?!" Buffy shouted and her Watcher winced at the loud noise and looked around the area to see if they had been heard. "You want me to kill sixteen vampires alone?!"

"If you will control your volume, please." Giles insisted in a harsh whisper. "And I have the utmost confidence that you can do this Buffy." He said and Buffy raised her eye brows at him, the hand that was not holding the sword coming to rest on her hip.

"That's not what you wrote in that little diary about me you keep," she accused, "You said I was reckless and rash, and you wouldn't be surprised if I kicked early in the game."

Giles just looked at her, "That was not for you to read," he said not even attempting to deny what she had said.

"Well I read…and you don't think I can do this job, and you know what, neither do I. So let's just call it a night, huh." She hoped her reverse psychology would work and tried to maintain a hurt tone even though she could care less if he didn't approve of her slaying techniques.

"I think you have the ability to prove me wrong," Giles told her genuinely, "Whilst you lack the total discipline that I feel you need to be successful, you do have the strength and cunning and skill to be one of the best Slayers in history. And I intend to help you be such…I intend to make you prove yourself wrong."

Dammit! Buffy cursed mentally. Why'd he have to go and get all encouraging and Mr. Rogers on her. There was no way that she could walk out on him now.

Got her at her own game Rupes. Giles congratulated himself as Buffy stared at him for a moment and then turning with a sigh and trudging up the walkway of the house. "I'll start the timer once you shut the door." He called out after her and Buffy waved her sword back at him dismissively and kept walking.

The house was huge, located in a very rich part of town…not that Sunnydale had a slum part of town, but, Buffy guessed, down by the docks left a lot to be desired. Giles had told her earlier that this particular home was owned by the leader of this gang of vampires…they had turned him to get a hangout of sorts. And once Buffy had killed three of their members they gathered that there was a Slayer in town and stepped up their recruiting methods, taking 5 new members the previous week. Giles had gotten a tip that this was where they were holding up shop and now it was time for the Slayer to step in.

Buffy steeled herself and gripped the door knob. This was supposed to be her final test before she was able to go out on her own patrols. The only problem she saw with that was that _this was one hell of a test, and if she failed, it'd be the last test she'd ever take. That fact did little to comfort her since she'd always planned on dying in her sleep at the age of 87, or at least doing something remotely cool. If she died slaying, nobody would ever know that she died to save the world, they would just think she was murdered…if they found her body at all…Stop thinking about this! she chastised herself, Just slay and then you can get beck to Xander. You're going to make it through tonight because you've got to get your answer from Xander…_

She took another deep breath and nodded to herself, thinking of how nice it would be to fall asleep with him again tonight, trying to focus on anything but about what she was going to have to do…and before she knew it she had opened the door and was standing in the back of a large foyer area. There were two stairwells climbing the walls on either side of her, each next to a living room on one side and a dining room on the other. Buffy noted that the place was pretty well lit and clean to be a den of the damned and crawling with undead monsters.

She saw a couple of vampires moving about in the kitchen through the dining room and then looked to the side opposite, seeing about five sitting and watching TV in the living room…none of them even paying any attention to her. 

"HEY JIM!!!!" a voice called from above her and the Slayer turned her head up abruptly to face it. A young man, probably in his early twenties, in full demonic vestige appeared on the overlooking sitting area on the second floor and looked down at her. They starred at each other for a moment and she shifted under his confused gaze before he started speaking again, "JIM!!!!"

"WHAT?!" another vampire with his game face on called back from the living room.

"WHERE'S MY STAIND CD?!" 

"IN THE CAR!" Jim called back.

She watched the vampire on the second floor shake his head, turn and walk into one of the nearby bedrooms, generally confused about the whole situation. She remained where she was as the two vampires from the kitchen walked pass her carrying a tray of popcorn and, what she assumed was blood, in three cups. This is unbelievable, she sighed mentally as she followed behind them into the living room, Slayer here, guys!

Just as the second vampire moved to sit down Buffy slid a stake out of her back pocket and thrust it into his heart from behind, the howl he had as he turned to dust drawing the attention of the other occupants of the room. "Anybody order Chinese?" she asked with a perky smile as the all snarled at her.

"That's her," on of the burlier member of the group said, "That's the Slayer."

At the mention of 'The Slayer' Buffy heard footsteps on the stairs. "What gave me away?" she quipped, backing discretely out of the room to avoid getting boxed in. Unfortunately she backed right into the arms of another vampire, who must have been in the kitchen, and he held her arms tight at her sides as all the occupants of the living room approached her leering and laughing. 

"Some Slayer," one who was probably around her age when he died laughed, "Gonna die so quickly. And she's so tiny that there might not be enough for everyone." 

They were all laughing, but Buffy executed a back head butt into the face of the one who was holding her. She was immediately let go and she heard him yell in a muffled tone, "SHE FROKE FY FOSE!!!"

Buffy turned quickly and swung the sword in her left hand hard and fast, slicing through his neck falling into a fighting stance before he could even evaporate into dust and she saw four more brethren rush to join the fight form upstairs.

"GET HER!!" Buffy heard a female voice yell from the second floor.

 She grinned cockily at her attackers. "Yeah guys," she offered them a taunting grin, executing a jumping front snap kick into the chin of a vampire closest to her and then ramming her stake into his heart while his head was inverted in a lightening fast move, "Get me."

She heard about eight different growls that melted into one that gave her a quivery feeling in the pit of her stomach, but she ignored it as they all rushed her.

*~*~*

Xander cradled his cordless phone in the crook of his neck as he threw a tennis ball against his wall with one hand and caught it with the other. He was thankful that Jesse had called fifteen minutes ago because it helped to get his focus on something besides Buffy.

She'd been gone for about two hours.

In the time since she had left Xander had cleaned his room, changed his sheets, gotten something to eat, read his history homework, and gotten dressed and prepared to climb out of his window and go after Buffy about nineteen times.

But now with Jesse yammering in his ear about Paige he had something else to think about. He wondered if Jesse knew about his faux girlfriend half the things that he did. Buffy had told him all about the questionable moral standing of Jesse's broom closet hook-up, and he thought briefly, that since Jesse seemed to honestly have some sort of feelings for the girl, if he should say something and possibly spare him some heart ache.

Nah, he shook his head, This is much more fun when he's fielding it on his own.

"And then I sent Wills over to feel out the situation, you know," Jesse was talking excitedly as he always did, "And she focused on her task for, like, 4.5 seconds before she wandered of with Percy, of all the ass holes."

Xander knew why Jesse hated Percy. Not only was the guy the varsity football quarter back, but as such, it was not uncommon for him to get some 'special attention' form the cheerleading squad…it was like bees to honey with him and them, or so Buffy had told him, while constantly reassuring him that everybody but her on the squad saw sucking up to the football team as a necessary course of action. But none the less, while Xander didn't worry about the guy seducing his Buffy, he had quite succeeded with the object of Jesse's affection at a post game party last year…and he had seen the video to prove it.

"Way to go Wills," Xander smirked, "Buff said that she had heard stuff about Percy digging her…"

"So not the point," Jesse exasperated. "The point is that she's fraternizing with the enemy."

"She's taking him out of the picture," Xander stated optimistically, "He's your biggest threat…well," he corrected, "one of your biggest threats."

"And you're banging your dream girl every hour on the hour," Jesse shot back bitterly, using Xander's momentary silence to refocus the conversation. "Plus, Wills is too innocent for him, she's just going to get hurt messing around with his type."

Xander swallowed knowing Jesse was thankful that he was not there. After that banging his dream girl comment he had to know that he was in for the ass kicking of a life time. "So now this is about Willow?" he asked making sure his friend could hear his smirk through the receiver, "I didn't know you cared, ya big sweetheart."

"I don't care," Jesse said back quickly, "This is about me."

"Somebody's jonesing on the new girl," Xander sang. 

"Shut up Harris," Jesse bit out, "At least I'm getting some. When was the last time you stepped out of your Buffy fantasy world to even attempt to get some poon?"

Xander ignored him, "That depends, when was the last time you had you fill of fire crotch?"

"At least I've had my fill of some crotch," Jesse fired back, "A girls!" he added defensively.

"I don't think you should count Paige's, everybody's had that." Xander continued to laugh.

"And I'm sure Scott has had plenty of Buffy's." he said, going for the check mate, "Come on Xan, they went out for a year…you know he got some touch off of her…"

"I'm gonna break you're fucking face," Xander said back, only half serious. He knew Jesse was trying to get to him, and that he knew just what to say to accomplish that. Jesse was the only one who knew how the idea of Buffy and her ex-boyfriend made him feel and he used it to his full advantage all the time.

*~*~*

"Hey this is Buffy. I'm not here right now so leave one and I'll get back to you…unless this is Xander, in which case stop calling me."

* BEEP *

Willow hung up before the machine started recording and fell back onto her bed. Both Buffy and Xander had skipped out on the Bronze and apparently spent the whole time together. And, to top that off, Jesse had reported that after his third call to Xander's, Buffy had answered the phone and said that he was sleeping.

She didn't know what bothered her more: the fact that they had ditched the group for some alone time; or that they had apparently engaged in activities that would require Xander to have to sleep for a while afterwards.

She and Jesse both had wild imaginations and even after his half hearted confessions that both of his friends were quiet prudish and virgins they both were growing a tad bit skeptical at what was going on with them.

Luckily for Willow, Jesse's crisis with Paige had offered her a little down time from scrutinizing Buffy and Xander's plausible relationship. And the introduction of Percy Jackson had given her somewhat of a distraction.

She figured that if she had a boyfriend, preferably a hot one, that Xander would be pushed to the back of her mind. But, unfortunately she doubted that…Buffy had been dating Scott Hope, and to say that he was bad on the eyes would be to say that you can shove food up your ass and crap out your mouth…i.e.: you couldn't…and he wasn't. And yet, Buffy seemed inexorably drawn to her dark haired friend.

A part of Willow almost wanted to throw the fact that she could get Percy back in her cheerleading friend's face. Percy didn't want Buffy like Xander did, and therefore he was just hers. She held the distinct belief that even if Buffy did want Percy he would turn her down for her…maybe Buffy just wasn't his type.

That was part of the reason that Willow had been trying to call her friend since she had gotten home. She couldn't wait to tell her that Percy Jackson, the junior and varsity football quarterback, wanted to date her…Willow Rosenberg. 

And she wanted Buffy's help in figuring out why exactly. 

He was surrounded by pretty girls and could get anyone of them. Buffy had told her that he had already had Jesse's kind-of girlfriend, and plenty other members on the squad are more than willing to help him 'work out his post game tension'…so why'd he pick her?

But Buffy wasn't home.

She had spoken to Xander briefly before she let him go to help sort out Jesse's train wreck of a life, and he said that Buffy had left. And that was hours ago. Buffy was usually quiet full of energy, and Willow knew that she couldn't possible be in bed at 12:55 on a Friday night. But she wasn't answering her phone and she wasn't with Xander…and Willow, dispite all her desires to best the other girl, was starting to have a major wiggins. 

Maybe I should call her parents line she pondered briefly before deciding against it. If Buffy wasn't home, she might be doing something…private. But why wouldn't Xander know? Maybe…Willow sighed and gave up that line of thought. She had other things to focus on now besides Buffy's life. Percy for one…

*~*~*

Giles watched as a female vampire broke through a top story window in a shower of broken glass, but evaporated to dust before she hit the ground. He could see shadows moving inside and could make out the faint sounds of a struggle.

He hoped Buffy was doing alright; she had already made it upstairs and seemed to be clearing out the house with a precise accuracy as Giles noted how the fight was moving from room to room. And to top that off, she was making excellent time, as she had only been inside for just under half an hour.

Giles sighed and glanced up and down the street from his position leaning against his car. This really was a peaceful town, he had realized quiet some time ago, despite what crawled around in the night. He could see how so many went so long without a clue as to what actually went on here. What he would never understand was how they could not question the unusually high death and disappearance rate in this small town…it rivaled some much larger cities.

Americans, he scoffed, Ever naive… His thoughts trialed off as he glanced back towards the house and saw the curtains in the bed room go up in flame, lighting the room a bright orange glow. Giles stood up, his eyes wide with concern…

*~*~*

This was the last room in the house Buffy had to clear, and thank God for that. Her muscles burned as she ducked a roundhouse punch from a teenaged vampire. He was a fledgling and she easily caught his arm, turned him around and plunged her stake through his back. 

Through the cloud of his dust she could see a very large vampire standing and watching her through a door across the hall. He had been staring at her since she had vaulted the banister to get to the second floor…never attempting to enter the fight, but more studying her…and guarding that room he was in, she gathered. There was something in there that he didn't want her to get to, and she doubted it was more vampires since her mental head count had just put her kill rate at 14.

Buffy's leg snapped out in a sliding back kick into the stomach of the demon she was facing now, doubling him over as she caught him squarely in the stomach. But, he was quick to recover, at least somewhat, as he tackled her before she could react, driving them both to the floor. 

She landed hard, the vampires extra weight on top of her driving all the air out of her lungs. Buffy fought to take a breath while she struggled to force the vampires head away from her neck, biting her bottom lip as she had to focus on the two necessary tasks at once. Luckily for her she managed to get her right foot up to his hip and she kicked out as hard as she could. 

That move caught him off guard and he flew off of the Slayer and into an inn table by the window, landing hard on the several candles that were arranged there. His body broke through the wood of the table and he crashed to the floor sending the flames into the curtains, which started to flame as intently as his shirt.

But his life was over just as quickly because the Slayer had recovered from her minor set back while he had been trying to swat out his arm and when he looked up the last thing he saw was he delightfully smug grin before he turned to dust.

Fifteen.

Buffy turned slowly to face the one she knew was still behind her. "So," she started casually, "It's just you and me, all alone in this big ole house. Whatever will we do with ourselves?"

"You're good Slayer," he commented in a deep booming voice before he laughed right in her face. "You're new, but good. But you want to know something? I'm better. Tell me," he asked looking her up and down, "How'd you come by this job? You're younger than the last one and a lot smaller…"

He thought she was good, Buffy thought a little giddily. He'd obviously seen her predecessors and thought she could compete to them. "I'd really like to play twenty questions with you here, but, the house is on fire," Buffy nodded back over her shoulder. "I really should kill you and be on my way…ya know, after I check out what big secrets are in that room you're in."

He laughed again and shook his head, not being phased by the fire in the least. "You're welcome to try," he told her simply. "But," he started again folding his arms over his chest, "you should ask yourself what you're in such a rush for…I mean, I can stand around and chat with you all night."

"I don't try," Buffy challenged, "I do."

"Young and cocky," he said. "Buffy, Buffy, Buffy…"

"How'd you know my name?" She asked edging towards him and away from the spreading flames. She definitely had to act now, because the fire company would likely be arriving soon. There'd be no explaining this to her parents if she got caught in a burning house in the middle of the night, while she was supposed to be grounded.

He just looked back at her calmly, loving the apprehension that was ebbing on her features. "I know a lot about you."

"If I cared I'd ask for some info on you," Buffy stated watching the vampire's fangs appear in a demonic grin through snarled lips, his thick neck tilting his head back as he laughed out loud.

"So funny, too." He commented with bright eyes, "So funny and in love," he added with a straight face. "With an Alexander Harris…what ever would the sweet innocent little Slayer's daddy think if he knew that you snuck out of your room and into the boys arms?"

Buffy inhaled a sharp breath and narrowed her eyes at him. He knew way too much about her and her whereabouts, and her Xander. He was too calm and too close. She kept her voice defiant, even though she was actually becoming frightened of him. "I don't think we'll ever know." She stated and stepped further away from the crackling flames, now almost meeting him in the hall. "I won't say anything and neither will he," she chose to try to act indifferent to him knowing about Xander and to not divulge any unnecessary information about him. "And you're going to be dead in about forty seconds…"

"Or I'll be watching you burn alive…" he smiled at her and Buffy felt a chill move down her spine.

"Well," she swallowed and readied her stake, "If that happens we go together."

"I have no doubt that I'll se you in hell." 

That was the last thing he said as Buffy launched herself at him, her punch to his face barely having any effect…except in her own hand which almost folded at the contact. Dammit! she cursed and tried again, this time steeling her left wrist before swinging. But it had the same effect and he laughed…

"Is that what beat all my minions?" he asked in wonder, "Well good, they were weak." He landed a hard upper cut that caught Buffy on her chin and lifted her off the ground, sending her back into the burning room. 

Buffy choked on the force of the hit as she hit the floor and then again on the smoke filling the room. She had been fighting for about thirty minutes so her lungs were already working overtime, now with the smoke, they were screaming in her chest.

She flipped back to her feet and flew into a side kick and then an immediate round house to his face, snapping his head back.

His hand gripped his chin when he next looked at her. "You're not going to kill me Slayer…not tonight. I'll let you leave." He turned to go back into the room but Buffy kicked him in the back of the knee, sending him to the floor.

"I finish what I start," she growled at him and lifted her stake. But as she brought it down, he turned suddenly and caught her wrist, bruising it in a vice grip and she fought not to scream.

"As do I," he lifted her up off the ground and Buffy glance briefly around the room she was now in. It looked like a children's room, full of toys and painted brightly even in the dark. 

And there was a child. He was sitting on the bed in pajamas, his knees drawn to his chest…

But then she was thrown back from the room, through the hall and back into the other room. She landed hard again, but this time the large vampire had followed her. He picked her up again before she could react properly, this time by the shoulder and she felt it dislocate under his hand, but she didn't cry out, she didn't have time.

Buffy flew backwards through the flames and out of the previously broken window and the cool night air assaulted her senses. "Next time." She heard her opponent whisper before she started falling.

She hit the ground with a dull crack as she landed on the shoulder he had picked her up by and her vision went black momentarily with the blinding pain, but she was quickly refocused when she began to smell the smoke emanating from the room that she had just been ejected from. Buffy was on her feet in an instant, shaking off the physical pain from her decent and staggering beck towards the front door.

Giles was already moving towards the spot where his charge had landed and he grasped her upper arm to stop her trek back into the house. "We must leave." He cautioned hearing fire trucks in the distant background.

"There's a little boy in there," Buffy shook off his hand, but soon found that Giles had moved in front of her to block her path.

"Then I'm afraid that it is safe to assume that it is already too late for him." Giles said, reaching to turn her path again as the realization set on her face. "Now we must do going now, or else face have to explain this," he gestured to the fast burning mini-mansion behind them.

Buffy let herself be turned and she noticed the flashing lights approaching them. She couldn't get caught at the scene of this 'unexplainable' fire. If she were the arson charges that she would face would be a walk in the park compared to the wraith of her parents. Giles was rushing her down the path to his already running car, leaving her to get in while he jogged to the drivers side.

Within seconds they were headed away from the scene of the fire, although nothing had been said.

"You did very well," Giles commented quietly after a few moments of silence.

Buffy didn't even turn to face him as she ran the fight through her mind for the twentieth time since it had so abruptly ended. "I missed one," she said absently. "A grown one…and the boy."

She shut her eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath. The child, who could very well have been and probably was a vampire couldn't have been more than eight years old. And he was dead. While she had been complaining about having to be the Slayer, he had been murdered. If she would have devoted more time to her patrol…been more alert…been a better Slayer…maybe…

"I'll look into that," Giles broke into her thoughts. "Do you remember what they looked like?"

"Yeah," Buffy shook her head briefly to try to clear it, "The man…he was tall and fangy and strong." She seemed to stop, thinking of something else for a moment, "It was like he was guarding the boy…but he looked regular…the boy wasn't a vampire."

Giles' brow furrowed and he cast her a quick sideways glance, only now noticing that she wasn't focused on the conversation that he intended on engaging her in. "That's odd," he commented quietly. "You don't think this child was a vampire?"

Buffy shook her head and spoke quietly, "No, not a vampire…something else maybe, but not a vampire."

"What do you think…"

"I don't know, okay," Buffy cut him off harshly while keeping her eyes on the road in front of them, "I don't know what he was…is…I don't know."

Giles nodded mostly to himself and stared out of the windshield. She was obviously upset and he had to assume that it was the usual gripe over being the Slayer, however, he had the sneaking suspicion that maybe it was more. He knew form his training as a Watcher as well as from the extensive reading of previous Watchers' journals that Slayers had to grow up much faster than others of their relative ages. Giles knew that Buffy was being exposed to things and situations that a normal teenager would most likely never have to deal with…most adults would never have to deal with, but what he was left to his own devises to figure out was how exactly she would cope with those things. He could only hope that she would let him do his job by her and help, but that didn't seem to be the case.

"Would, um,how…how is your shoulder?" he asked after a moment of watching her stare out of the passenger window.

"Fine." She mumbled.

Giles nodded, "You landed fairly hard…"

"It's fine." She bit out again. "I'm fine."

"Well," he made another attempt despite her tone, "I could check to see i…if it were dislocated. Perhaps wrap it for you…" He was headed towards his house and Buffy perked up when she saw that he had an obvious destination.

"Where are we going?" she asked suddenly, looking around the familiar streets of downtown Sunnydale. Her mind was jumping back and forth between knowing that she was unable to save the child back in that house, and had quiet possibly left him to die another, probably equally horrible death, and the fact that all she wanted to do now was get to Xander's so that he could make it all better…make her all better. She was almost thankful for the sharp pain in her shoulder because it allowed her to focus enough on her surroundings to inquire about where exactly Giles was headed and wonder just how much longer it would take her to get where she wanted to be tonight.

Giles faltered at her sudden outburst, breaking her apparent code of silence. "I thought you would look through some texts…identify the vampire…"

"I'm really tired Giles." Buffy lied finally turning to face him, hoping that her eyes wouldn't belay the anxiousness that she was trying to force out of her voice.

He nodded, "Alright." He thought for a moment, knowing that it was futile to force this particular Slayer to do anything, especially, he had learned quiet early on, when it involved books. "Shall I drop you off at your house?"

Buffy was focused on the view outside again as they drove past the street that would get her to Xander's house quickest. "Yeah," she said sarcastically, "I'm sure my dad would love to meet you…at 1:45 in the morning as you, a 45 year old man drop off his 15 year old daughter. Yes, drop me off at home."

Giles turned to face her an exasperated look on his face only to find she was smirking back at him. "Yes quite," he cleared his throat, "Shall I drop you down the street then?"

Buffy shook her head, "Here would be good," she hoped she didn't say too brightly.

Giles looked at the Main Street surroundings knowing that Buffy lived a good three miles from this particular point in town. "Drop you off here?" he asked confused.

"Yeah," Buffy said reaching for the door handle as Giles continued to drive. "It's a nice night; I'd like to walk a little."

Giles slowed the car, "But you're hurt a…a…and…"

"And I'm the Slayer," Buffy added her own end to the sentence. "You want me to patrol alone, I need to get used to walking back alone with my injuries, and how to take care of them myself." 

Giles knew there was no use arguing as she seemed ready to jump out of the still moving vehicle. He had to wonder if she was telling him the whole truth, and if he even wanted an answer to his own question. 

"I can still fight if need be," Buffy assured as the car slowed a little more, "And I'll call you when I get in if it'll make you feel better."

Giles sighed and stopped the car, "It would, thank you."

Buffy turned her face before she smiled and opened the car door. 

"You did quite well tonight Buffy," Giles stated, a sense of pride in his voice, and she turned back to face him.

She let a smile creep onto her face, "Thanks."

Giles nodded and regarded her for a moment. "Well," he said as he watched her climb out of the car and into the deserted street, "You'll call…"

"I will," Buffy assured. "Night Giles," she said before shutting the door, not waiting for a response.

"Good night Buffy," he responded anyway to the closed door as he watched her walk away before heading back to his home.

Buffy on the other hand knew that Giles knew where she lived so she headed in the direction of her home until she couldn't see his tail lights anymore before she turned around and headed towards Xander's. She fought off the urge to run for a moment, and then realized that it was probably for the best as the fast pace at which she was walking was even causing her a slight pain in her arm. But even at a walk she was sure she could make it to his place in under ten minutes…ten minutes and then everything would be alright.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

End Part 5


	6. Before the Fall of Rome Part 6

Title: Before the Fall of Rome (6/?)

Author: Brooke 

Email: yabbadabbadome13@yahoo.com 

Rating: R

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. I wished I owned the two Xanders' from "The Replacement" though. Buffy and friends are owned by Joss, Mutant Enemy, 20th Century Fox, The UPN and whoever else has rights to the show. 

Summary: You remember all that crap that started post-puberty…yeah, it's great isn't it. It was when life started

Distribution: I don't know why anybody would want this, but if somebody does…sure. 

Feedback: Definitely!! Tell me if it sucked or if you liked it. Whatever. Just write back!

Authors Note: Takes place in an AU season 1 where Buffy and Xander are best friends and Willow is the new girl as Sunnydale High. It is the beginning of their sophomore year and, as 15 and 16 year olds, hormones and feelings are taking center stage.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Xander was still on the phone with Jesse working half heartedly to assure his friend that Paige was not at all interested in being the football team's plaything, even though she already was, and both knew it, when he heard the familiar sound of weight moving on the roof outside of his window. 

But this time it was different.

Earlier Xander had been sure that Buffy had been outside his window for a period of time before he actually heard her. Which left him slightly embarrassed and even more intrigued as to how much of him she saw exactly, since she had never given him an direct answer as to how long she had been there. But this time there was no attempt to maintain silence. It sounded like she literally dropped down onto the roof.

Xander shot up off the bed momentarily tripping over his shoes as he stumbled towards the window. He tossed the cordless phone, leaving Jesse in mid-sentence, to the bed and pushed up on the window pane, a blast of cool air rushing in from outside. He looked around briefly, "Buff," he called after a moment of seeing nothing.

"Over here," he heard a quiet, almost pained whisper and he turned his head to the hall window. Xander saw Buffy sitting against the wall on the far side of the window; her left hand seemed to be gripped onto her shoulder. As he climbed out of the window and steadied himself against the small slant and watched as Buffy made no move to face him or move towards him. 

"Buff, are you alright?" he asked, his voice full of concern for his friend and he thought he heard her sniffle and saw her body shake slightly. Xander started to make his way towards her, but stopped when he saw her stand to her feet, still holding her shoulder.

Buffy walked over to him demonstrating an ease that Xander knew he could attribute to her new supernatural powers and he wrapped his arm around her to guide her into his room. She ducked her head as she climbed down over his window ledge and inside so the he couldn't see her grin at his chivalry. Buffy watched Xander do a quick visual sweep of the street before entering the room behind her and shutting the window behind him.

"Are you alright Buff?" he asked again as she stood with her back to him, he could see that she was finding his floor very fascinating. 

He saw her nod her head slightly, slowly turning to face him, "Yeah…"

"Is your arm hurt?" he asked approaching her and studying her swollen shoulder. He ran his fingers over it lightly and didn't notice Buffy shudder at the contact.

"I think it's dislocated or something…I fell on it pretty hard…a couple of times…" she whispered as she remembered seeing the child on the bed, but being thrown from the house before she could reach him. She heard Xander huff out a small laughing breath and look her in the eyes for the first time since she had gotten there and then his laugh faded into a surprised gasp. Buffy knew that she had taken some hits but hadn't had the opportunity to study them or cover them properly before she reached his house. Now Xander stood before her, tilting her head to the side to examine what she assumed was a pretty nasty shiner on her left eye. She remembered getting hit there vaguely, not that it hurt all that much anymore.

Buffy watched as the concern in his eyes clouded over with an anger that was rarely present in him and then felt his hand drift up from her shoulder to her chin. Xander bit his lip slightly and Buffy saw that when he withdrew his hand there was a fairly decent amount of blood on his fingers…Maybe she got punched in the mouth a few times, too.

"I'm sorry it's so late," she whispered as he continued to touch her face lightly, "I was going to just have Giles drop me back off at home…" That was a lie and she knew it.

Xander didn't say anything as he walked pass her and into his bathroom. Buffy turned to follow him with her eyes and saw him return to her with a wet cloth in hand. He gently wiped the remaining blood from her chin, "Don't ever apologize for coming to me." He told her quietly.

Buffy nodded slightly and murmured, "Thanks."

She let him finish cleaning her up noting how carefully he avoided putting pressure on any of the bruises he could see. "What about your shoulder?" he asked as he finished, "I can get ice." She watched as he shifted nervously from foot to foot.

"I think I just need to pop it back into place," Buffy offered seeing how her condition was affecting him more so than herself. She stood up from the seat at his desk and moved in front of him, "Can you just hold it in place?" she asked taking his hand and placing it on her upper arm. Buffy was all of the sudden glad that this was a suitable remedy for the pain lancing through her side, as otherwise she would have been solely focused on the warmth of Xander's hand on the bare skin of her arm, or the slight tremble of his fingers as he did exactly what she asked of him, or the accelerated breathing coming from the both of them.

"Ready?" Xander's voice rasped with quiet uncertainty as Buffy set herself to relocate her shoulder, a process both expected to cause more than a little discomfort. She nodded and shut her eyes, "Hold it tight."

Xander's grip tightened under her command and he watched as she bit her lip and then thrust her upper body forward. He winced at the audible sound that occurred as her joint popped back into place, but didn't question if it was better as a relieved grin spread over his friends face.

Buffy sighed and rotated her arm around in wide circles, trying to work out the remaining pain. "That's so much better you wouldn't believe it," she commented with her eyes closed, "Thanks."

Xander cast her a grin watching as she stretched with her eyes closed, "Not a problem. Always happy to set a friends arm without proper medical training."

Buffy stopped and turned to face him finding that he was watching her. She laughed slightly when he noticed her looking at him. "Well, better you than Mr. Giles, right?"

She watched Xander's face drop and then twist into a disgusted frown.

"I swear," he started shaking his head, "If that old guy ever touched you, I'd…"

"You'd what?" Buffy asked amusement clearly present in her voice. She waited for a moment for his response that didn't come. "Exactly," she smiled in his face, "He'd set my shoulder and you'd order a pizza…just like you would do anyway."

Xander raised in defense, "I'd kick his ass…" he defied, "I'd kick his wrinkly old British ass."

"Sure you would Xan," she shrugged and began looking around his room. She suddenly turned to face him, "Why are you dressed?" she asked, noticing for the first time that he was wearing a t-shirt and jeans and it was well past 2 in the morning.

Xander looked down, realizing what Buffy just had and shrugged, "Well," he started, "I spent a few hours trying to talk myself into keeping my promise to you," he said not meeting her eyes. "So all I did was get dressed in preparation to rush to your side…and then I got distracted by Jesse…" Xander laughed and looked to the phone on the bed, "Jesse who I was still on the phone with…"

Buffy looked at him with wide eyes as he leaned down and picked up the long ago discarded phone and put it to his ear for a moment. "And he hung up," Xander confirmed with a nod and then sighed, "I see some serious groveling in my weekend plans."

Buffy laughed lightly and fell into a seated position next to where he stood, and leaned back on her elbows, "What was he talking about?" she asked just to fill the silence as her fingers toyed with the strings of his blanket.

Xander looked at her in disbelief, "It's Jesse." He stated matter-of-factly, "If he's not talking about chicks, he's not talking."

"So Paige." Buffy concluded in a bored tone.

"Among others." Xander shrugged, knowing that it would get her attention. One thing he had learned about girls from being her friend for so long was that they loved the gossip.

"What others? Buffy asked sitting up, "Is he finally moving onto someone else? Someone not slutty?" 

Xander turned and pretended to straighten the mess on his dresser, "I believe he mentioned something about one Willow Rosenberg," he feigned disinterest.

"What?!" Buffy's voice was a quiet yell of disbelief, "Jesse wants Wills?!"

Xander turned quickly to face her, "I believe the boy does," he grinned, "He just doesn't want to admit it yet."

"Oh my GOD!!!!" Buffy said looking at him with wide eyes, "I can't believe it…that is so great, and with Spring Fling coming up…they could go together…"

"Whoa there padner," Xander held up his hands, "Let's slow this paddy wagon down." Xander fixed her with a stern look, "You can't tell anyone this…Jess totally flipped out when I tried to call him on it. If word got out it could get messy." He tried to remain totally serious but his resolve faltered as he watched Buffy pull her patented 'I'm gonna get my way' pout.

"But she's so much better for him that Paige…if she were the one he was scamming on, do you realize how much easier our lives would be then?" Buffy pointed out.

Xander nodded in agreement, "But even if he were to admit it, now Percy's in the picture. He's totally gonna bogart the Willow front…"

Buffy sighed and dropped back into a reclined position on the bed, "He's always taking Jesse's girls…he's like Lex Luther to Jess' Superman…only more losery."

Xander swallowed hard and made a grunt in agreement. To tell the truth he was having a really hard time focusing on what she was saying as his brain was stuck on a 'look at her boobs in that shirt loop' as she lay flat on his bed in her form fitting black tank top.  He was glad she was studying the ceiling and not looking at him as he pictured himself on that bed with her…his mind placing her in that very position, but in much different circumstances…different hot sweaty situations involving him on top of her, beside her, below her, inside her… "So you wanna shower or something?" he husked out and Buffy sat up fixing his with a curious look at his tone.

Xander cleared his throat as she spoke. "Is this a subtle way of telling me that I stink?" she laughed with threatening narrow eyes that held a gleam of a joke behind them.

He sputtered for his words, "No," he spoke quickly, "No, I just…thought, you know…"

Buffy stood up and moved towards his bathroom, "About me in the shower?" she asked over her shoulder.

Yesyesyesyesyes "NO! I mean, naw, just…hot sweaty f…fighting," Xander was trying to sort through his thought rapidly, "I thought you…"

She fixed him with a warm smile that acted as much to disguise her discomfort as his own as she wondered just what was running through his mind as his mouth rebelled against him. "It's alright Xan," she assured, "Towels are in there?"

Xander nodded again, "Where they always are." 

Buffy bit her bottom lip and shook her head, "I'll be back then," she told him, unsure of what else to say. They were both just standing there looking at each other and then turning towards the walls and the floor when one of them noticed that they were staring for too long. "Alright…" Buffy looked around the room once more and then entered the bathroom and shut the door behind her.

Xander huffed his breath out loudly once the door shut and he ran his hand warily through his hair. Maybe this wasn't such a great idea… Sure he had wanted he and Buffy to do the sleepover deal – still wanted, actually – and he was glad that she had come back from her patrol with only minor injuries, and her being there gave him the peace of mind in knowing that she was alright and would be as long as she was right there next to him…but, this was getting ridiculous.

He must be the hugest ass in the world because what he wanted…there was no way that it could ever happen. 

Xander set about straightening up his room idly and changing into comfortable sleep clothes, tonight deciding that it would be best it that consisted of long basketball shorts and a new, non-Buffy drool, tank top.

He had this sneaking suspicion that Buffy wanted exactly what he wanted or at least something very close. He had to assume that she hadn't thought about them in the same particular fashion that he had…but then again, if she had…that would be pretty cool, and yet oddly hot at the same time…

But that, although mentally exciting for him, was beyond the point. They were stuck in this vacuum where they couldn't say what needed to be said without the guise of a joke, and they couldn't do what he wanted them to do because…it was weird…and a little uncomfortable – not as uncomfortable as having a hard-on thinking about her laying next to him while she was actually laying next to him and resting her leg on it – but uncomfortable nonetheless.

His mind wandered to the fact that the water was running in his bathroom…where Buffy was all wet and soapy and naked, and completely unavailable because Xander was quiet sure that he couldn't just start making out with his best friend, and he knew that he really couldn't just go open the bathroom door to do so. His perfect freshman year was already shaping up to be a sucking crap-fest because of this…and now Buffy had this whole Slayer thing to deal with, which meant that he had the whole Slayer thing to deal with, and that whatever either was feeling, it would have to be put on the backburner, from what he understood, for the sake if the world at large.

But that couldn't last forever. This couldn't last forever. There was no way that two people could just feel around this imaginary bubble of more than friends for a lifetime, which was apparently how long Buffy would be the Slayer. He was certain that they would be forced to deal with it, and possibly very soon, and while he couldn't wait, the possibility of getting everything, he realized, that he had ever wanted, and had had it right under his nose his whole life, was great…it was also scary.

The water in the shower stopped and he look towards the door. Buffy would come back into his room soon all clean and fresh smelling, probably with her hair still all wet and falling around her face in a way he found cute even before he was willing to accept that he felt that way about her…and he would have to pretend that she was just a regular girl. And she wasn't. Xander had always, his whole life, known that Buffy was special. Then he felt it even more-so when his feelings delved beyond simple friendship, and now, the cosmos were agreeing with him. He could completely understand why she was this Chosen One Girl, she was that for him…but he wished that it would stay only just for him, mostly for her sake. It wasn't that he didn't think she could handle the whole Slayer deal, Buffy was tenacious beyond words and had always been strong, in his eyes, if only recently in the physical sense…but there was more of a inner concern he felt at her having to do this.

When Xander had gone out on the roof to get her, she had just been sitting; staring out into space…she looked so small to him, and so broken. He couldn't imagine how she'd gone so long feeling like that with out telling anybody…without telling him. And when he had gotten her inside the look in her eyes was so haunted. He had spent an inordinate amount of time studying her eyes, those grayish-green crystal clear orbs and tonight, as he had noticed a lot recently, they were clouded. Xander hated to think what Buffy _had to do was taking the person who he had grown up with away…he hated that the innocence that was always ever present in her had been fading, and he had just earlier that night found out why. _

He wanted to help he deal with it all. God, how he wanted to talk it all away and bring back 'Summer Buffy', the last time he saw that unadulterated smile and giddy laughter for days on end, and the time when he could find her any time of day and just talk to her; but he couldn't. And maybe it was too much for her, and maybe it was only going to get worse, and maybe she didn't have time for petty feelings and dealing with guys anymore. Maybe that was why she broke up with Scott. Xander didn't even want to purpose something like altering the state of their friendship with out absolute certainty that it would happen and work out…he didn't ever want to lose her…and right now, maybe asking that of her would be too much, and hurting her was the last thing Xander would ever do.

*~*~*

She hadn't thought at all during her shower. She had simply watched the water wash the soot and grime off of her body and down the drain until all the water disappearing turned clear again. It was so simple, just like it had been only a few short months before, and had been for the three bites of sandwich she had had earlier in the day. Just simple.

Buffy wanted that all the time now, but it would never happen. Not ever again.

She stepped out of the steamy confines of the tiled walls and into the air of the cooling room, grabbing her towel off of the sink counter and began drying off. As soon as that happened all the thoughts came rushing back…where all the dirt had come from came back, the sight of that little boy, possibly a demon, just out of her reach in that burning house, the vampires…people who had died and whose families had grieved them, she had staked that night, all these nights since even before she had discovered that what she was doing in secret had a name; before she knew that she was doing it so naturally because it was her calling. All those things with human faces that she had killed.

And finally where she stood now. And it was almost too much. For all the times she had wanted to cry recently, none compared to now. But unlike earlier in the day she held it back. Buffy figured that all of her previous childish outward shows of emotion would have to stop for her long term benefit when she had to fight.

She sighed and looked at herself in the foggy mirror. She had a puffy purplish-black bruise skirting around the outside of her left eye and her bottom lip was split on the side. Her eyes skimmed down over another bruise which she had gotten a few days earlier on her clavicle, but had mostly faded, down to the new contusions decorating her ribs and upper arms. It took so much to hide them all, and yet she did it so well. She knew Xander had not even seen most of them despite all the time she knew he spent looking at her, thinking that she didn't know. It was funny to her now, that she could always feel his eyes on her; and not just recently, although only recently did it have the effect on her that it did now.

Buffy knew that she had taken too many hit tonight…hell; she had taken too many hits on all her outings with Giles, and she wasn't looking forward to going out alone. Even thought the old British man was annoying most of the time and always so impersonal with her, she felt safer when he was there; when he was just beyond her making sure that she was ok and ready to jump in to save her if necessary, ready to give her pointers that would save her life. But after tonight, that would be gone. She would be alone and left to simply report to him the following morning about the previous nights slaying. She would have to take care of herself…

She stopped mid way from pulling on a pair of Xander's old boxers that she had designated as hers and she remembered how he had washed her face so tentatively when she had arrived at his house. Climbing back up onto his roof had been harder with an injured shoulder than it had been earlier in the night and she had needed a moment to collect herself and blink away the tears that had forced themselves out of her eyes at the movement of her arm, and he had heard her. And then he had come to her and helped her inside, and checked to make sure that nothing had followed her…he mad sure she was safe, and then he took care of her.

Buffy wished that she could share this new life she was being forced into with someone…with Xander…but if Giles knew that she had told him what she had already, she was sure he would flip. Maybe the Slayer thing is a 'If I tell you I'll have to kill you deal? she questioned, her brow furrowing with worry at the concept of that. She'd just have to make sure that nobody knew that he knew. 

She'd have to keep him out. And it was becoming more apparent by the day that trying to keep Xander out of her Slaying life was going to involve removing him from large portions of her regular life…parts that he had always been in, and Buffy was certain were only there because of him. But she wanted to keep him safe; she wouldn't let anything take him from her, even if she could only enjoy him from a distance. If it meant that she would have to suffer with the Xander-shaped void in her life for the rest of her life, so be it…just because she had to die being the Slayer, doesn't mean that he would go with her. She wouldn't let him go with her.

Buffy pulled on his old oversized gym shirt and hung up her towel vowing that she wouldn't lose him…that she wouldn't let herself become dependant on him when it was her burden alone to carry. She tried to tell herself, as she prepared to open the door, that she didn't need him…

And then the door was open, and she saw him laying back on his bed chuckling a little as he watched an episode of Scooby Doo on the cartoon network…and she realized it…she did need him. And more importantly than that she wanted him. Whatever that may mean, she wanted him.

Xander turned to face her, the laughter in his eyes being replaced by concern as he saw her just standing there. He sat up a little to look her over, dressed in his old clothes, her hair wet like he knew it would be, "You alright?"

Buffy nodded quickly to keep him from getting up and she moved towards the bed. "Can I watch?" she asked quietly taking a seat slightly in front of him and thus avoiding him asking about her shoulder.

"Yeah," Xander said, "I was just waiting for you to get out…"

Buffy turned to face him and then crawled up the bed to sit back against the pillows next to him, "I just lost track of time."

Xander glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, "I like my theory better," he licked his lips, "Where you just spent the last thirty minutes staring at yourself naked…while I sat behind my two way mirror," he added under his breath.

Buffy quirked an eyebrow at him, "How'd you know?"

"Two way mirror." Xander reiterated. He quickly refocused his attention the antics of Shaggy and Scooby to avoid thought of whatever Buffy may have been doing in the bathroom…in his bathroom.

"So," Buffy asked after a moment of watching TV with him, "How bout that answer?" she trued to sound nonchalant.

Xander's brow scrunched up, "Answer?"

Buffy looked at him expectantly, "Yeah my answer…my reason to live." She repeated somewhat sarcastically. "You said when I got here you'd tell me." She watched the realization dawn on his face.

"Um…" he started and shook his head, "I don't…It's…there's a lot of stuff…" he didn't know what to say. 

Buffy looked at him confused, "Well, we can talk about a lot of stuff." She glanced at his clock seeing that it was after 2, "We've got plenty of time."

Xander sighed, "It's not about time…it's about the talking." He sat up on the side of his bed, keeping his back to her, "I don't know if we can talk…at least about this."

Buffy was surprised that he wouldn't look at her and disappointment was obvious in her voice, "Alright…so then what? We just don't talk?"

Xander heard her tone change and turned suddenly to face her, noting the broken look on her face that he had just vowed never to be the cause of. "It's just we've been dancing around this since summer, Buffy." He started gaining her attention. Xander realized that he was in a damned if I do and a damned if I don't situation in terms of hurting her, so he might as well give her what she wanted. He'd give her her answer and deal with the consequences for himself. "And every time we end up exactly where we were before only worse off because every time it makes less and less sense."

Buffy looked down at her hands and started fiddling with her fingers. She knew exactly what he was talking about even though he couldn't be more vague unless he stared miming.

They were friends, but they were more. They weren't more, but they might want to be. They might want to be but it could cost them everything. It could cost them everything, but it would be worth it.

It was one huge circle; and it did make less and less sense every day.

"So lets just get it all out then," Buffy said, steeling herself and sitting up to face him. Locking her determinedly nervous gaze with his. "Lets, for the first time in months, have a conversation that makes sense and resolves the issue…"

"And if you're not ready?" Xander shot at her completely devoid of pretences. 

"We'll decide that when we're done with the conversation," Buffy swallowed, consciously aware of her use of the word 'we'. "And what if you're not ready?" she repeated his question.

"If I'm not then I'd be cracking a joke instead of trying to work out how to tell you that I want to be with you. And I'm not doing that." Xander said in an instance of complete seriousness.

"And you just did." Buffy pointed out matching his tone and trying not to give away the fact that her heart was about to pound out of her chest and her throat was dry and constricted.

Xander just looked at her, trying to read how she took his declaration, and feeling like he was going to die either from embarrassment or from a heart attack at the age of sixteen. "So I did, and there it is." He refused to take his eyes from hers and she did the same. "There's your answer that we've been dancing around since we were at the shore. I want to be with you…I want to date you, Buffy. I can't not be with you because you're my best friend and I love you, and I can't be with you for the same reason."

Buffy swallowed, "That should be exactly why you should be able to be with me…"

Hope crept into Xander's heart and his eyes brightened momentarily. "It's not about my being able to be with you Buffy…I…the way I feel…I could be with you for, like, ever…as a friend, as more…forever. But you've been…you've got all this new stuff…"

The Slayer. Buffy wanted to cry again. He said that he wanted her and she felt the same way, but this goddamned calling…

"And you might not be ready for everything that I am," Xander continued. "You've got so much to deal with, and I don't want to add to it."

Buffy smile at him, relief that he wasn't going to run from his feelings because of what she was now. She looked at him and how he was watching her, not demanding anything from her, just waiting, and realized that she'd always be Buffy to him. No matter what she might be to anybody else, she was always going to be his Buffy. And she made a decision…one she had actually made before, but now she acted on it.

Buffy watched him, and leaned in, moving so slowly as if to give him a chance to back out, but he didn't. They just got closer until she let her eyes shut and turned on the auto-pilot as she pressed her lips lightly to his. So lightly that she barely even felt it. But then Xander tilted his head and kissed her harder, not rough but more decisive, as place one of his hands behind her neck to pull her closer and then closed his lips around her upper one, lingering for a moment as they moved together for a few moments. 

They pulled apart slowly and she opened her eyes, still feeling that sweet and chaste first kiss. Any other guy would have made it so much more…Scott had tried to test he gag reflex with his tongue during their first kiss, but Xander didn't. And it was good. It was so good and everything she had been trying to imagine that it would be. She had kissed Xander. 

IkissedBuffyIkissedBuffyIkissedBuffyIkissedBuffy Xander's mind chanted as he let his hand fall down to rest on her knee. He kept his face surprisingly calm for all the emotion that was flaring inside of him.

"You won't add to anything," Buffy whispered, breaking the silence.

"But you started slaying and broke up with Scott…" Xander remembered, suddenly thinking that the kiss may have been more harmful than helpful, no matter how nice it was, or how perfect it felt.

Buffy's eyes fell to his hand on her knee, "I broke up with Scott because of Scott," she told him. "He deserves someone who really wants to be with him…I couldn't give him that…"

"I'm going to want the same thing though."

"Good." Buffy said quietly still looking down, "I wouldn't consider giving you any less."

And there was his answer. Stated clearly and out loud…it was what he wanted. It was Buffy and Xander.

Xander leaned forward again, the initial awkwardness of kissing his childhood best friend completely nonexistent at this moment, and tilted her face up to meet his with his mouth, kissing her full on just as he had dreamt about. And Buffy kissed him back, moving her mouth in time with his and sighing into his mouth. And then he felt the very tip of her tongue flick against his lower lip and fought to maintain the kiss instead of passing out. He knew what that meant, and his body responded before his mind could catch up and he pushed his tongue lightly against hers for the first time.

Buffy felt his hand leave her knee and she rose her arms, pain in her shoulder completely forgotten, and wrapped them around his neck. She moaned and let Xander control the kiss, trying to scoot closer to him while feeling his tongue in her mouth for the first time. When she felt both of his hands grip her waist everything she thought would be wrong with this situation melted away…this kissing her best friend was something she could do…a lot.

They stayed like that, each allowing the other to experience everything that they had been wondering about that aspect of the other for several minutes, both sighing at the new form of contact, so long, it seemed recently, denied. When they pulled apart they were grinning at each other.

"That was nice," Buffy nodded with a shy tight lipped grin while keeping her arms around his neck.

"Yeah," Xander agreed and licked his lower lip. He could still taste her in his mouth and it was something that he had imagined a lot for the past few months, but the reality was so much better. Her kiss was so much better than anything he could ever have come up with on his own; so soft and warm…and real. "Really nice," he added with a smile after he cleared his throat. "And at first I thought it'd be like kissing my sister…"

"But definitely not," Buffy stated.

"Right. Definitely not anything like that. And good. Great." His mind was still firing on about three cylinders after that experience. The one thing he had been working to talk himself into not wanting anymore had just been given to him and now he knew he would never want to give it up.

Buffy smiled at him again and loosed her arms from his neck, "Great…I loved the answer…" She leaned in and pecked him again on the lips, now completely allowed to want to do so before she settled back in his bed. 

"Me too…it was the best answer I've ever given." Xander turned out the light and lay down next to her, settling on his side to face her. 

Buffy felt him watching the side of her face and was well aware that she was still grinning a little, and she turned to face him. The size of the bed placing them almost nose to nose. "What?" she asked quietly after a few moments of them just watching each other.

Xander smiled shyly and shrugged his shoulders, "Just thinking."

Buffy grinned back into his face and unconsciously slid herself closer to him. "Bout what?" she asked, biting her lower lip slightly and she watched Xander's eyes focus on the action.

"Bout kissing you again," he admitted without a hint of bashfulness. 

Buffy hummed before she answered, smile still in place as her lips grazed his when she spoke, "Me too." That was all she could get out before Xander's hands gently grabbed her face and pulled it to his and crashed their lips together.

~*~*~*~

_And maybe I'll see you_

_At a movie_

_Sneak preview_

_You'll show up_

_And walk by_

_On the arm if that guy_

_And I'll smile and you'll wave_

_We'll pretend its okay_

_This charade it won't last…_

Xander's hand reached out to his night stand and snatched the alarm clock off the top, dropping it to the floor with a groan. He had set it for 7:30 so that Buffy could get home early for her sister's soccer game without her parents knowing that she hadn't been there all night.

He rolled over onto his side so that he could face her and found himself looking at the back of her head as she lay on her stomach facing the wall. Xander sighed and reached out slowly to brush some of the hair off of her neck gently in hopes of waking her up an quietly as possible. 

A lot had changed with them a little under four hours ago and he had to admit that waking up next to her, while the few other previous times he had done it were amazing, caused a grin to form on his face immediately. He couldn't remember if he had ever heard of anyone waking up with a smile on their face, but he just had. 

His fingers were still stroking slowly through the loose hair that had fallen across her back and he rubbed the skin of her neck underneath; she was still all warm and tingly. The last thing Xander had expected last night was a make-out session with his child hood best friend, but that was just what he got; and through it all it remained completely innocent…no wandering hands or anything, a fact he had to chalk up to raw nervousness, about not only the opposite sex, but also the particular member of the opposite sex involved; not to say that an avid curiosity was not displayed in the fullest. He guessed they both just needed time for that to happen, or a cue, or the other to make the first move, none of which had happened last night.

So basically they had kissed some more; in reality probably only about ten more minutes, before they had fallen asleep, and now Xander had this morning after glow in the anticipation of redefining their relationship so that he could kiss her again. He supposed he could kiss her anytime he wanted now really, they had already moved past that, oh so awkward, first kiss and not to mention the months and months of build up that took.

"You always do that to your clocks?" Buffy's voice was mumbled into her pillow as she spoke before turning to face him. She had been awake since the first buzz that signaled the alarm getting ready to sound, she just hadn't moved. And when she had been ready to climb out of bed she had felt Xander's hand on her neck, lightly rubbing over her spine, and she hadn't wanted to move just yet. But, as she had rightly assumed, as soon as she showed signs of life, his hand had flown away from her skin as if she were ready to burst into flame if it remained in place for a second longer.

Xander cursed himself for jumping at the sound of her voice; he couldn't possibly be scared of her if he wanted a girlfriend out of her. He hesitantly lowered his hand again back into the place where it was before combing through her hair, only now more unsure because she was awake. "Yeah…" he answered, "but at least that always turns them off."

Buffy let out a laughing sigh as she rolled out of his reach and sat up in the bed, bracing herself with her hands behind her. She yawned the sleep out of her voice and blinked her eyes several times to clear them. "What time is it?" she asked, suddenly climbing down the foot of the bed until she was standing and stretching.

Xander lay still, now alone in the bed and watched her. He knew that Buffy was not a morning person, so he hadn't been expecting her to start reciting Shakespeare when she woke up, but he at least thought she would give him some sort of acknowledgment. 

"Uh…" he stumbled and swiped his hand through the rest of the clutter on his night stand until he found his watch. "7:48." He informed her, and only received a nod. Alright… Xander tried to hide his confusion and act as passive as Buffy was when he sat up and swung his legs over the side of the bed. "Do you wanna shower again here?" he asked, his eyebrows raising involuntarily at the mental process that thought led him through.

Buffy stopped in her retrieval of her slaying clothing which she had lain over the chair by his desk and turned to look at him. She held his gaze for a little while not speaking as she watched him sit uncomfortably on the side of the bed. "No thanks." She said simply, before grabbing her clothes and disappearing into the bathroom, not waiting for a response before she shut the door behind her.

Truth be told, Buffy had no idea what to say to him. She thought it was weird between them before she had started sucking on his tongue, but, apparently, she had had no idea. Now, in the light of the morning, she could admit that the kissing had been, well, great. She hadn't lied when they agreed on that fact, but it happened so fast.

So fast she almost wondered of they could take a step back…talk it out and try again with a purpose.

She pulled back on her leather pants and tossed his boxers that she had slept in behind the bathroom door, before focusing on making her hair less beddy. Buffy had known what she wanted when she climbed through his window last night, and she had gotten it. She liked getting what she wanted. But because talking had gotten them absolutely nowhere, and actions seemed the only way to resolve any situations, she, now being a girl of actions, as per the Slayer, had grabbed the bull by the horns. Only problem was, now they would have to talk. It was either that or lose her best friend. Or make out some more. her mind threw in, and she scowled at herself in the mirror. She knew she wanted that too.

Buffy was stuck, now, wanting her best friend, and at the same time wanting more; and now that she had both in the same person, she wasn't quiet sure she wanted all of that in the same person. She was just confused beyond words, so the best possible option she could come up with was the: 'Don't talk and get the hell out' method; which she was in the process of executing right now.

Buffy flung open the bathroom door to find Xander still seated on his bed, only now wearing a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. "All set," she informed him, with a half formed smile as she made her way quickly across the room to the window.

"Kay," Xander acknowledged and stood up to follow her path. He watched her open the pane and turn to look at him, "Are you going slaying tonight?" he asked trying not to sound to unsure.

Buffy shook her head, "Nope." She hesitated a moment and there was complete silence, "Thanks for last night," she grinned a little and Xander nodded.

"Not a problem. Any time." He meant that. He really did. "So…"

"Yeah," Buffy said, "I'll see you in school."

"If you can sneak out again…" Xander trailed off leaving it opened ended.

"We'll see," Buffy said quietly. "Bye." She prepared to climb out side, but then felt Xander grab her forearm, stopping her. Before she knew what was happening Xander's lips where on hers. A small imitation of what she had experienced earlier in the morning, and she felt and resisted his attempt to take it to that level, but it was distracting enough for her to pause and linger against him. 

Xander pulled away slowly, leaving Buffy slightly shocked and he heard her release a breath. "Bye," he whispered, noting how he had pretty much, he figured, rightly assumed that he could kiss her again if he so desired.

"Bye," Buffy said again, this time turning quicker and ducking through the window before he could react. She had to wonder if every time she left now he would expect a goodbye smooch, or if he would expect what they shared last night on a regular basis…not that she necessarily had a problem with that…in theory. It was the in practice part that was going to get her.

Xander watched her jump down his roof and land squarely on her feet before running down his street and out of sight and he vaguely noticed that her shoulder must not be bothering her anymore because she hadn't mentioned it at all since she had woken up. But then again, if his room had been swarmed by flaming aliens from Mars, he doubted if he would have noticed. Buffy had slept in his bed, and kissed him, and just run away from him as if he had the Ebola virus and was about to be quarantined. No, my life can't get more confusing at all. No sir.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

End Part 6


	7. Before the Fall of Rome Part 7

Title: Before the Fall of Rome (7/?)

Author: Brooke 

Email: yabbadabbadome13@yahoo.com 

Rating: R

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. I wished I owned the two Xanders' from "The Replacement" though. Buffy and friends are owned by Joss, Mutant Enemy, 20th Century Fox, The UPN and whoever else has rights to the show. 

Summary: You remember all that crap that started post-puberty…yeah, it's great isn't it. It was when life started

Distribution: I don't know why anybody would want this, but if somebody does…sure. 

Feedback: Definitely!! Tell me if it sucked or if you liked it. Whatever. Just write back!

Authors Note: Takes place in an AU season 1 where Buffy and Xander are best friends and Willow is the new girl as Sunnydale High. It is the beginning of their sophomore year and, as 15 and 16 year olds, hormones and feelings are taking center stage.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Willow looked genuinely excited…and Jesse hated every second of it. And that led to him hating himself for hating that his friend was so happy. He just didn't understand why she would want to date pond scum like Percy Jackson. He would never understand shy anybody would want to even be associated with that butt munch. 

But none-the-less here he was, stalking the streets of the outdoor mall of downtown Sunnydale with the redhead looking for the prefect dress for that evening, when she would be accompanying His Assholiness to Guerdinni's, a really expensive Italian restaurant.

Nope, the Bronze wasn't good enough for Percy. He had to flaunt all his dad's money- the dumb prick…

"How 'bout this one?" Willow asked as she held up a sleeveless white dress with pink flowers embroidered around the hem.

Jesse shrugged and took another sip of his coke, which he had guilted her into buying for him, "It's great," he answered unenthusiastically. 

Willow rolled her eyes at him. "Great; I'll look hot, or great; I can go to my grandma's birthday party?"

"I think you should aim for the second one any way you look at it…"

Willow sent him a glare and he sighed, "Fine…you'll look great in that dress. That's the dress of all I've seen today."

Willow beamed at him and his stomach dropped about another fifteen feet, "Thanks Jess."

He watched as she cut through the remaining racks of dresses towards the front of the store. They had been shopping for the last four hours, and needless to say, this was not how Jesse had wanted to spend his afternoon. Not only was he now dwelling in pure hatred of Percy…that jerk who had the keen ability of bogarting every female that ever strolled through his life, be it in a friendly manor, or more. But he also had the distinct feeling that he was just a filler for Buffy. In fact he knew that was the case because why would chick ask him to go shopping for dresses, and two, she had told him that Buffy hadn't called her back last night, or this morning.

Jesse followed her path, moving at a much slower pace, letting his feet shuffle along the short carpeting on the floor. He came up beside her as she paid for the clothing and waited to receive her bag. 

He had picked up on her tone when she had told him that Buffy was MIA. It was worried, yes; but it also held a distinct hint of disappointment, especially when Jesse made the horrendous mistake of telling her about the conversation he had had, and ended so abruptly with Xander the night before.

 Jesse had gotten the feeling last night that his friend had put him on hold because a certain blonde female had decided to pay him a visit, a fact that, while he had never directly stated to Willow, she seemed to have picked up on. And Jesse thought that while she had been smiling all day, there was even more disappointment ebbing just below the surface. So now, not only was she replacing Buffy, who they had yet to talk to today, but he thought, that when push cane to shove, Willow would rather have Xander with her than him. He was her bottom of the barrel guy; and that just sucked. He was everybody's bottom of the barrel guy.

Paige's. He wasn't as stupid as he looked and liked to act. He knew what people said about her, and he knew that a lot of it was true…she didn't seemed to be ashamed of a lot.

Xander. He knew that his best guy friend in the whole world would rather hang out with Buffy. Sometimes he got the feeling that when they were all together it was like he was the third wheel on the dirt bike of 'them'…and it was usually always Xander who he would find sending him the looks that screamed 'Can't you just go home now!'.

Buffy. That was for the same reason as Xander, really. Only thing was, unlike his bro, she seemed to not mind him spending time with them. Over the past few weeks, and even into the summer, it had been Buffy who had called to invite him to things she was doing. Granted Xander had always been the first to know about them, but it was Buffy who made things public knowledge. That was all fine and dandy…she was being a true friend and was completely genuine about it; something which belayed the cat n' dog relationship they held. But he was always left wondering if he was there because she liked his company more than she wanted a distraction from anything resembling date with Xander.

And now Willow. She would rather hang out with Xander because she would rather be doing Xander. And she would rather be hanging out with Buffy so that Buffy weren't doing Xander. Oh, don't think Jesse hadn't picked up on that subtle rivalry between the female dynamic of his group.

And all over Xanderhe mused as he followed Willow dutifully out of the store What a waste.

Jesse cast the redhead a sideways glance and then discarded his empty cup into a trashcan on the corner. She was going on and on about shoes or make-up or something equally girly that he had no interest in, but he was pretending. He was a damn good pretender- he had to be to survive these last months with these people.

"Yeah," he nodded, not quiet sure where the conversation was when he decided to speak up. He just got the feeling that he had been silent for too long. "White shoed would be the best choice." He had no idea.

Willow furrowed her brow at him. Now she knew that he was distracted, and therefore going to be totally useless at keeping her from slipping into the same trap; she hadn't even been talking about shoes. She had asked him about their Biology class.

"Ok," she said unsurely and quirked a smile at him, "But what did you put for answer #3 on Benson's test?" 

Jesse looked like a deer in head lights for a moment as he realized that he had been caught, "Uhhh…C?"

"It wasn't multiple choice." Willow pointed out.

"Dammit," Jesse cursed under his breath, "I guess I failed." He smiled when she laughed at his joke and he had to agree, despite the fact that he thought that he really had failed the test. He didn't dwell on that though, he had failed plenty of tests and the weekend was no time to think about school.

"So," Willow asked, swinging her bag as she walked and Jesse turned to look at her as she squinted in the sunlight. "Wanna help with the shoes, or are you pretty much tapped of all things girl?"

Jesse let out a deep breath and shook his head, "I was tapped twenty minutes into this little excursion. You wouldn't even let me recoup in the arcade." He threw in a pout for good measure. 

Maybe Xander was right…maybe he did feel something for Willow. But if that were the case, it would have to be admitted that he felt something for Buffy, too. She was like his sister; she was like Xander's sister…and through it all he could see where the attraction came in, because, what… Buffy had been a girl in his eyes since about the fifth grade and he had wanted to take her to the first dance of their junior high careers. It was Jesse who had wanted her first, that's the only reason their relationship was the way it was. The only way Jesse could think to act around her when he had first met her was to piss her off, at least that way she'd always be thinking about him, and talking to him, and touching him…well, touching and hitting could be synonymous. 

Xander was just now following his lead, and it was up to Jesse to be supporto guy. Yeah, the last guy they went to for everything was the first one there ready to lend an ear and a shoulder.

It was complicated and he could see why both Buffy and Xander were huge tards when they got around each other. Jesse's only saving grace was that he could pretend that everything rolled off his back…nobody would ever have to know that he felt anything.

And now where was he? Xander wanted Buffy, Buffy wanted Xander, Willow wanted Xander, he wanted someone…he could see that someone being Willow; but all he had was an empty cup of Coke. You threw that away. Now he didn't have anything.

"What's the matter with you today?" Willow asked next, effectively refocusing her friend's attention. "You're all spacey."

He snapped his head around to look at her, "Nothing," he denied with a shrug.

Willow raised a disbelieving eyebrow. "Sure," she shook her head. "I swear Jess; I've never seen you think so much in your whole life."

"You just met me a few weeks ago," he pointed out. 

Willow's brow furrowed for a minute. "That's not the point," she said quickly. "The point is that something has been bothering you all morning, and you should talk about it. I mean, I may not be Buffy or Xander but you can still talk to me…like friends and all."

Jesse focused on the pavement and mumbled, "You're not Buffy or Xander," he agreed, before speaking more clearly. "Why are you really going out with Percy?" he asked looking at her.

It was her turn to focus on the ground. Willow doubted if she were ready to admit the real reason, or if she had even formulated a sufficient one yet. "Is that what's bothering you?" she asked quietly.

Jesse nodded his head, "A little, yeah. It's Percy Jackson for Christ's sake…the man's two steps away from being a prostitute."

Willow sighed, "I think he's nice."

"Yeah…If it's nice to lure girls in and use them." He shot at her.

"I don't think he's going to use me," Willow countered. "I'm not going to let him…it's just a stupid date."

Jesse let out a snorting laugh, "Sure. You didn't believe nothing was wrong with me, and I don't believe that you think dating Percy is stupid…"

"Is this because of what Buffy said?" Willow asked.

"Why does it have to be about her?" he shook his head. "Why has everything since the beginning of time been about her with everyone…"

Willow looked at him confused. She had no idea how to read that outburst or the angry undertones with which it was delivered. "I was thinking more about what she said about him and Paige," she clarified and watched his shoulders slump.

"And that's another thing," he spoke again quickly. "That should bother you more than it does…Paige isn't the only chick Buffy mentioned are in his roster."

"Everybody had exs Jess," she told him. "When you break up with someone, you are allowed to continue to date other people…"

"They weren't dating," Jesse said angrily. "If I'm to believe the rumors from Cheer Town USA they were fucking, plain and simple."

Willow had never seen Jesse angry before. To tell the truth she didn't even know if he was now, he still just seemed so calm. Pissed, but still decidedly calm. And for what? Because of her date tonight? Because of Paige? Because of what Buffy had said? Because of anything about Buffy…which would probably lead to something about Xander, too.

"I just don't think it's a good idea to be dating someone like him." Jesse muttered. 

"Someone like him?" Willow asked for clarification.

"Yeah," he said turning to face her as they turned the corner, apparently heading towards her house. "Someone older…with experience in things…it's not good."

I didn't know you cared so much… she thought. "It's still my decision."

"I'm just saying…"

"I know," she interrupted him, "I know what you're saying, and thank you. But I'm still going to go. One date doesn't mean we're gonna get married or anything." Willow watched as Jesse re-aimed his focus on the trees lining her street. "I can't sit around you know," she added.

Jesse bit his bottom lip, "Sit around?"

"Waiting." She clarified. "I can't just sit around waiting for him to notice me. He won't…he can't see past her, and I'm tired of waiting for that. This…Percy'll take my mind off that."

Jesse nodded. She had just confirmed his assumption that her date had something, if not everything to do with Xander. "SO that's what this is about? You can't have Xander, so anybody'll do?" He knew he had phrased that question wrong as soon as it left his mouth, and because they had reached her house they had stopped walking and he was being fixed with a steady glare.

"You're not one to talk about dating anybody when you can't have the one you want." She fired at him.

"What's that supposed to mean?" 

"Oh please," Willow snorted, "Buffy."

"What about Buffy? She's got nothing to do with this."

"She's got everything to do with this. We want them and they don't want us…so we just have to move on, it's the only thing to do…"

"You want him…me and her have nothing to do with this. Don't scapegoat your way out of this Wills," his statement sounded like a warning in the end. He sighed warily, "Look, I'm gonna head," he looked down the sidewalk, only wanting to get away from her for a minute. 

Willow nodded at him, but didn't speak as he started back down her street.

"Nobody's asking you to wait for him," Jesse called back over his shoulder. "I just think you can find a better someone to move on with, that's all. One friend to another, there are better ones than Percy."

Willow didn't have time to, or know how to respond to his seriousness, so she just let him go. She watched him until he turned her corner, his shoulders still slumped and he focused on the ground in front of him before she went inside. 

She was kind of glad that her parents weren't home, even though she did want to show her mother her dress. She needed some time to mull over this afternoon in her head…to try to make sense of everybody's actions.

Sure, she wanted to date Percy. He was popular and cute, and he had approached her, despite what people in his clique may think of her, and had said nothing about her even helping him with his homework. That was a first. That was why she was so excited about tonight.

Before now, she had always been, well, considered to be a nerd, of sorts. She had friends in LA, but they were nothing like the group she had made with Buffy, Xander, and Jesse. It was like with them she was a different person, and while, at one time she would have laughed at herself, or even hated herself for betraying who she was, she hadn't felt like that yet. She was being herself with them, and they seemed to like her…trust her…want to hang out with her. And even in Willow's eyes he Sunnydale crew could, for all intents and purposes, be considered more popular than her LA crew.

Willow wasn't the same anymore, and she was alright with that. 

She climbed the stairs up to her room and flopped down on her bed face down, a giddy smile breaking out over her face. She doubted that if she hadn't moved here she would be who she was now. She knew she wouldn't be going out on a date on a Saturday night with a football player, and that was a fact. She would have been doing homework or playing chess with her father…or something she hadn't done on a Saturday night since she had started at Sunnydale High.

Willow had at first thought her father's law firm opening a new office in this town was a curse. She hadn't wanted to leave what few friends she had to come here; and while she had never exactly fit in with the LA scene, she doubted even more that she could do the small town vibe either. But now she was. She had never been happier, and she could tell by the looks in her parents eyes now when they saw her, that they knew it too. She was finally being a kid, and while she knew they would always love her no matter what, she also knew that they were happy for her. Happy that she had found a group of good kids that were true friends.

When they had first met Buffy, Xander and Jesse they had doubted the sincerity of them in dealing with their daughter. Buffy: the cheerleader, Xander: the jock, Jesse: the slacker goofball…and Willow: the book worm. Needless to say Willow's parents saw that those types could use someone like her to hang out with, mostly for cheating and the general good feeling of charity that came with hanging out with a loser. Willow had felt that was initially too…but, like her parents that feeling soon passed.

Despite everything that may or may not be going on, he friends were good people, and they cared about each other and her. They made her like who she was. And now, because of that, she had the opportunity to do things she never thought she would…meet people who she always thought would never speak to her.

And sure, she liked Xander in a more than friendly way and that had the sucking possibility of putting a void between herself and Buffy; but it hadn't really so far. And sure Jesse was probably dealing with more than he was really ready to talk about in the ten minute walk to her house. And yeah, Buffy possibly spending the night at Xander's made her more anxious than she have liked…but they were friends, and she was sure they could work it out.

Willow lifted her head and glanced at her answering machine, finding the light blinking, something that would have never happened in LA, and pushed herself off the bed. As soon as she pushed play Buffy's voice flooded the room and Willow listened closely as the other girl whispered conspicuously.

"Hey Wills. Sorry I didn't call you back till now, but I got grounded. The rents are on a rampage and I can't even talk on the phone. Xander told me about your date with Percy though," Willow grinned as she could hear her friends teasing smile in her voice, "and I'll try to sneak over before you have to leave. Call me back and give me time details…oh gotta go."

The line went dead and Willow turned to glance at herself in the mirror hung on the wall to her left. All in all, she was doing damn good.

~*~*~*~

As far as Saturdays go, this one definitely sucked; and Xander usually lived for the weekends. He rolled to a steady stop in front of his destination and stepped off his skate board. 

The Sunnydale Public Library.

It had been years, literally, since he had been here. He stood to pick up his board and readjusted his oversized duffel bags shoulder strap. He had just finished with his mandatory returning members weekend swim practice and now he had some research to do.

After the debacle of Buffy's hasty exit that morning Xander saw no other option but to take matters into his own hands, and if it meant that he would have to read, then fine. If he would have to prematurely utilize some of the computer training Willow was giving him in order to get this situation taken care of, he would do that too. Whatever it took, he would do…and in order to come through with his promise to himself to protect Buffy at all costs, he would have to find out some more information on this Mr. Giles.

Xander climbed the white concrete steps to the large front doors of the old building and walked inside. It smelt like oldness…oldness and books. It kind of reminded him of his grandma's house right before she died, all musky and such, and it was so quiet. Xander looked around briefly until he spotted the computers and approached them slowly. Library's made him afraid to even breathe, let alone disturb all the dedicated readers with his loud footsteps. He, as quietly as he could, still unsure of the proper etiquette for this place, pulled out a chair and took a seat; casting brief glances to those sitting on either side of him. Everybody else was working furiously with a purpose and all he had to go on was a scribbled name that he had gotten from the faculty roster that afternoon during their break.

Rupert Giles was the man responsible for all of this name, now all Xander had to do was look up where he lived and go have a little…talk…with him. Once that was done he was sure that everything would go back to normal. He would just tell this strange old man to stay away from his…best friend? Girlfriend?

Xander didn't even know. He thought that after last night everything would just fall into place, but it had gotten decidedly more askew while they were sleeping. Maybe he thought as he logged onto the search engine that Willow always used, I should just not think in terms of titles…maybe just call her Buffy and leave it at that. He hated having to eliminate the word 'friend' completely when he thought of her, but the way she ran away from him after she had refused to kiss him the way he had intended before she left, left him wondering if she hadn't done the same think with regards to him. He wondered if he was her friend. He laughed bitterly to himself knowing that it sure didn't feel like that was all they were when they had each others tongues in the others mouth.

Xander decided to push that thought out of his mind and focus on the task at hand as he typed in the name carefully. He wasn't a pro at this, but he was sure that he would find something helpful; and if not, he'd bang on every door in this godforsaken town until that man answered one, and then he'd get his British ass kicked two times: one for screwing with Buffy's mind and making her think that vampires were going to kill her, and then again for being so damned impossible to find that Xander had actually went inside of a library to do it.

If Jesse could only see him now Xander knew he'd be laughing outright. Hell, Xander was laughing at himself. He was completely whipped and barely had any benefits that most would think came with that distinction. He almost didn't want to care about Buffy as much as he did, and it scared him a little. He had honestly never felt the way he does about her before, and even though he was only sixteen, that was saying a lot. And last night had been everything he had been dreaming about with her…until that morning. He knew it had something to do with this Slayer nonsense too, so like he promised, he was going to take care of it. He would keep Buffy from danger, be it from a 'monster' or from a weird foreign pedophile looking for kicks in a high school, or he'd die trying.

He waited a second for the information to come up and sighed in relief that there was only one Rupert Giles in Sunnydale and he was listed in the phone book. Xander nodded to himself as he copied down the necessary information. 567 Tremble Street Apt. 7B. He knew exactly where that was, and the best part about it now was that Buffy wasn't there to guilt him out of taking action. 

Xander stood up quickly and walked towards the exit now not caring who he was disturbing. While these people were busy reading, Xander was busy acting. Words just got in the way, if his life up this point had taught him anything, it was that. Now was a time for action.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

End Part 7


	8. Before the Fall of Rome Part 8

Title: Before the Fall of Rome (8/?)

Author: Brooke 

Email: yabbadabbadome13@yahoo.com 

Rating: R

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. I wished I owned the two Xanders' from "The Replacement" though. Buffy and friends are owned by Joss, Mutant Enemy, 20th Century Fox, The UPN and whoever else has rights to the show. 

Summary: You remember all that crap that started post-puberty…yeah, it's great isn't it. It was when life started

Distribution: I don't know why anybody would want this, but if somebody does…sure. 

Feedback: Definitely!! Tell me if it sucked or if you liked it. Whatever. Just write back!

Authors Note: Takes place in an AU season 1 where Buffy and Xander are best friends and Willow is the new girl as Sunnydale High. It is the beginning of their sophomore year and, as 15 and 16 year olds, hormones and feelings are taking center stage.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Xander skated to a slow stop outside of the apartment complex he was looking for. They were really nice homes- cozy, but sophisticated town houses that were on the outskirts of town. He knew that a lot of the business men loved out here where real estate was cheap and the homes didn't show it.

He pushed open the barred iron gate and stepped onto the cobblestone path that led to the group of homes all the appointed signs said that he could find his target- Mr. Rupert Giles. Xander set a fast pace as he made his way up the walk way, not only because he was in a hurry to sort this whole mess out- the adrenaline of his plan to protect Buffy coursing through him and causing his blood to pound in his ears, but also because it was dusk now, and Xander had no desire to be outside when the sun went down completely.

He hadn't spoken to Buffy all day- and if he said that it didn't surprise him, he'd have been lying. He knew, for some reason, that he probably wouldn't hear from her until Monday…like she had stated vaguely before she jumped off his roof. And he was more pissed off at that then he thought he had the right to be, especially since he knew that it would happen. Xander hated that she had called Willow instead of him…he'd have thought that if she were going to risk eternal groundation, she would have at least risked it with him. She owed him that, at least, after last night. Last night when he had told her that he wanted more- that he wanted everything with her- and she had assured him that she wouldn't give him anything less. 

And the sad part was that Xander knew that she wasn't lying. When Buffy had told him that she had meant it whole heartedly, but something had scared the living crap out of her that morning. 

No- Xander reminded himself as he spotted the librarian's home- this thing. It was this thing that scared her off that morning. This Slayer deal that she felt she had to protect him from.

With that thought fresh in his mind, and holding every intention of eliminating it from the equation so that he could overcome regular awkwardness and obstacles on forming a deeper relationship with her, Xander raised his fist and pounded on the door loudly. He knew that the man was home because Buffy had told him that she wasn't going Slaying that night, and therefore he had to assume that her Watcher would be in for the evening as well. 

Xander kept banging and heard the faint sounds of somebody shuffling within, heading for the door and mumbling curses in a thick British accent. The door flew open in front of his face and suddenly he was looking the high school librarian dead in the eyes. And just as suddenly Xander was reminded that the faculty was, in fact, people outside of the school atmosphere, as the man was dressed in a red plaid robe and brown slippers, obviously fresh from the shower.

Giles looked at the teenaged boy standing on his door step. "Can I help you?" he asked when he offered no explanation for his presence. He thought the youngster looked familiar, probably from the high school, but that didn't explain why he had shown up at his home.

"Uh…" Xander stuttered, "Rupert Giles?"

"Yes," Giles looked at him skeptically. He looked at the boy's nervous demeanor and the swim team jacket he was wearing as he adjusted his swim team duffel bag on his shoulder. "I'm sorry, I'm not interested in…whatever it is you're selling." He began to shut the door.

Xander reached out with his right hand to block him, "Wait!"

Giles sighed and opened the door to regard him again.

"I'm…I'm actually here to talk to you." Xander told him, now noticing that it was dark outside. "I'm a friend of Buffy's…"

"Mr. Harris," the name clicked in Giles' mind. This was the boy that served a walking distraction for his charge. He had already doubted the vivacity of Buffy's attention span, but when this boy were in the area, he knew, and had witnessed her have trouble walking and talking in complete sentences.

"Alexander…" Xander told him, shifting from foot to foot. 

"But it's Xander to your friends," Giles filled in. and received a slow, skeptical nod in response.

"Yeah." He narrowed his eyes at the Englishman. This Giles seemed nice enough, but that was obviously a ploy. He was responsible for making his Buffy a crazy person, after all. Xander adjusted his duffel bag again and stepped partially into the apartment, despite the lack of invitation he received, forcing Giles to step back. 

"Well then Xander," Giles set his jaw at the inconsiderateness of his new house guest, "You, apparently, took great measures to procure my home address, so I'm assuming you do not wish to hear my opinion on Beowulf; so what is it I can help you with?"

"Funny man," Xander bit out in a low voice, his eyes locked with the older mans. "Listen," he started again, "I'm not here for tea and crumpets while we have a jolly pip pip cheerio conversation."

"Good." Giles was now matching his off putting tone. He wondered who this boy thought he was just bursting into a complete stranger's home, let alone a member of his high schools' faculty.

"I'm here about Buffy." Xander spoke again, ignoring him. 

Giles' eyes flashed at the name. Oh my God… his mind mumbled as he took in the boy's demeanor. He knew from how he had seen his Slayer and the teenager's interactions with each other that they were close and beyond that Buffy had made it now secret that this Xander was her best friend. Now this agitated confrontation, and the fact that Xander had specifically sought Giles out left the Watcher wondering if Buffy understood the concept of a _secret identity._

He cleared his throat and gestured his guest further inside so that he could shut the front door. "Yes," he paused briefly after Xander entered, "What about her?"

"Don't play dumb." Xander fired with his back still to him, but he turned quickly to face him. "I know what you are…I know what you have her doing." Giles seemed at a loss for words so Xander decided to continue. "It's going to stop right now though."

Giles finally huffed out a breath, "She told you this?" he asked as he walked past him, heading towards the kitchen. He had no idea how to process this information; Slayers of the past had been able to comprehend the severity of the situation they were in and the necessity of complete discretion. 

"Of course she told me," Xander followed him with his eyes. He was not sure if he was angrier that the man was manipulating his best/girlfriend or the fact that he didn't seem to care. "She told me about the vampire and the demons and all that make believe crap that you're making her believe is actually there…"

"Buffy is a quite capable young woman." Giles turned again to eye the young dark haired man. "I assure you she is not fighting imaginary evils…"

"There are no demons," Xander said steadily. "All there is here is a weird old man who's latched onto a teenaged girl and is making her some sort of pawn in his sick game…"

"That is hardly the case…" Giles' defense prickled up at the seriousness of what Xander was implying. 

"That's exactly the case," Xander denied vehemently but steadily. "I don't know what you're doing to her…but she's out all night and she's getting hurt. She's all bruised and she's like that when she's done…doing whatever it is that you have her doing. Or are doing to her." Xander fixed the Englishman with an icy glare. "But it stops now."

Giles processed Xander's tone but didn't respond directly to it. "Buffy was to understand that nobody was to know of her calling…"

"That's not the point," Xander interrupted. "I'm here to tell you to stay away from her. If you don't there's going to be a hell of a lot more people who are let in on your little secret, and I'm thinking of starting with the police, and then her parents, and then the school board."

Giles and Xander fell into an intense stare down, eyes locked and jaws set. Xander didn't think that this man understood just how far he would go to protect Buffy. He didn't think that he understood that he could be at the police station filing a report against him before this man could sing Hale to the Queen. But if he didn't listen to him and back off of Buffy, he would find out in the most spectacular manor. 

"This ends right now." Xander added after a minute as he backed towards the door. "If I see you anywhere near her again…if I see one more bruise…if I see her crying and even think that you had anything to do with it I'll report all this crazy mind control vampire/demon slayer bullshit that you're feeding her to anybody who'll listen and we'll see who's headed back to jolly old England."

Xander didn't look back as he turned on his heel and walked briskly to the door. He flung it open hard enough so that it hit the wall behind it and formed a small crack in the drywall where the doorknob landed before he stepped out into the cool night air. Xander smiled to himself as he felt the other man's eyes boring into him from behind I think I made my point.

Giles listened to the loud clack of the wheels of the child, who had just threatened him, skateboard as he headed away from his house. He was fuming. Not only had his Slayer directly disobeyed him, but she had broken a sacred oath. The destiny she had to fulfill did not call for a Slayer and her boyfriend…it was solitary. It was the Slayer and her Watcher. Those were the only two who were expendable. Now, with Xander's knowledge, he would undoubtedly have to work out how to keep him safe as well.

Whether the boy believed in the Slayer and the forces of darkness or not, both were real, and as far as Giles was able to make out Xander would be a permanent fixture in the world of the Slayer now that he knew what she was doing. And if Giles wasn't more careful, he would only be semi-permanent. Buffy would only be semi-permanent if she had to face the distraction of this boy directly. Bloody hell Giles' mind scoffed She can barely concentrate when he's not with her.

Giles knew that in the very near future…possibly later on tonight…he would have to track down his charge and make her understand what her calling entailed. He had tried to be lenient with her, allow her freedoms unlike any previous Slayer had ever been granted: cheerleading, friends, a social life, continued life with her family; but her telling this boy about the Slayer was throwing all of that back in his face. He had to take a new approach and it would start today. He headed back upstairs to get dressed. He would page her and let her know where to meet him since, as she had so rightly pointed out, it probably was not the best idea for him to call her at home. He knew that she had been placed on some sort of restriction by her parents and that he had given her the night off from patrol so she would most likely be at in for the night. 

Rupert Giles was not a pushover. He could try to be her mentor…a friend of sorts, but he would not stand for the degradation of his calling as a Watcher or that of the Slayer. In that sense he could step back and be what she would construe as her worst enemy…all about form and manual executions and training and patrol. It was time Buffy Summers learned that. If her own foolishness was going to be the death of her it would happen as a mistake in the field, not because of a weakness of heart.

~*~*~*~

He flew through the air and hit the moist ground with a dull thud. He would have had the wind knocked out of him- if he had had wind in the first place, that is, but as it was he was just slightly startled. 

He shut his eyes and shook his head briefly to clear it before rolling onto his feet. There was nobody there.

"WHO ARE YOU?!" he called out as he made an uneasy in place circle, and tried to keep his voice from wavering. He received no answer besides a slight breeze that blew in from his left. It had been a good night initially. Three kills, all young…fresh…innocent. But that was then. It had only taken about fifteen minutes and an, apparently, poorly chosen fourth choice to send his night to Hell. All he knew was that there was a girl, and she was strong.

He felt something moving around him, but could not determine where the threat was exactly. Turning his head again he tried to steel himself for an attack, knowing that whoever this girl was, she was playing with him. "WHY DON'T YOU COME OUT AND TELL ME WHO YOU ARE…THEN I'LL KILL YOU!"

"Not necessary," a baby sweet voice sounded from behind him and before he could react there was a sharp piercing pain in his back. He looked down at the tip of the stake protruding through his chest through his shirt as the voice continued. 

"I'm Buffy," she smiled to herself at the demon's complete shock, "The Vampire Slayer. And you're dust." 

Buffy watched triumphantly as the vampire exploded before her and the ashes blew away. "Five for five," she cheered to herself as she broke out in a small dance. "I'm so the Slayer! Give me an S! You got your S; you got your S. Gove me an L! You got your L; you got your L…"

"Give me a break." A new voice sounded from behind her and Buffy whirled around quickly, brandishing her stake, to face the decidedly male figure. 

"You were doing great until you're song and dance." He smirked at her fear…well, almost fear. He could pick up more curiosity than anything else.

Buffy slit her eyes at the man. He was about six feet tall, dark hair with darker eyes. A lot of gel. Dressed in dark clothes. Okay, she thought after her mental appraisal, Definitely a vampire. "Who are you?" she asked cautiously while keeping her distance. She had hunted her previous kill, but she decided that she would wait for this one to make his move. "Why are you following me?"

"Spry AND inquisitive. They were right about you." The man spoke again, keeping his smirk in place.

Buffy hated him already. Beyond the fact that she was programmed to destroy vampires, which she thought he was, but he was being so damned condescending for a stalker…not to mention the fact that he now knew way too much information about her, and was, therefore, an automatic threat. "You should tell whoever _they are to not bring me into anymore of their conversations." She fired at him without backing down._

She was the Slayer; she knew that he knew it. And as the Slayer she would not run away from his kind. Whatever his kind was. Slayers didn't run from vampires and Buffy Summers didn't run from guys. Especially HOT guys. her mind pointed out, and Buffy hoped he didn't catch her mental clench. He's not that hot. she argued to herself as she looked him up and down discreetly; He has a huge forehead.

"Who are you?" she asked again after clearing her throat. He smiled at her again and her eyes fixed on his grin. No fangs she pointed out yet.

"I'm her to help you." He told her simply.

Buffy lowered the arm that she held her stake in, "I don't need any of your help."

"Too bad." He shrugged and began to walk towards her, "You're going to get it."

Buffy watched him on high alert as he approached her and she launched herself into action when she saw him reach into his pocket. She executed a front snap kick to the man's abdomen and when he doubled over, obviously not expecting her attack, she brought an axe kick down on the back of his neck. Buffy raised her stake again as she stood over the man as he lay on his stomach on the ground. 

He rolled over onto his back quickly and shook his head. He should have expected her reaction. Slayers are supposed to be able to sense vampires, after all, regardless of souls, this one was no different…in theory that is. He had been watching her all night, ever since she had climbed out of her bedroom window and began to wander aimlessly around the town, and he knew she was good. He knew that she could be better though. This one could be great- and that's what he wanted for her.

There was something about this girl that he wanted to be able to save.

He tried to push himself up, but was halted by a boot pressed to his throat and the obviously strong leg that pushed hum back down harshly. First he had to save himself.

"Let's try this," Buffy started again, the frustration brimming in her tone. "You tell me who you are and I don't kill you dead…er." She pressed her foot down harder and watched the man squirm uncomfortably on in the dirt. She didn't have time for cat and mouse games that she didn't initiate. 

Buffy had every intention of staying in tonight, but, as was becoming common place with her daily routine, she got very restless very quickly. It could almost be compared to an itch that she got after sundown… something calling her outside. SO she followed.

She had been out hunting for about two hours, but now was in a hurry to get back before her parents suspected something because unlike the night before, she hadn't said goodnight to them, so she was still open to be checked up on.

The night before.

That was the second reason she was out tonight. Her stomach was still doing giddy flips over all the Xander kissage she had partaken in, and nervous/nauseous ones at the necessity of having to face him again. She had not had any time alone, until she had decided on this impromptu patrol, to just mull things over in her mind. And up until now, she had been in control of the situation…that was until this ass hole decided to hunt the hunter.

"I can explain better if you stop crushing my wind pipe." The man said from below her and Buffy removed her foot.

Definitely and vampire she noted as he stood up effortlessly. "I don't think that you need it all that much." She stated while taking a step away from him and eyeing his now upright form in preparation for another attack.

The man cocked an eyebrow at her and rubbed his hand over the back of his neck with a shrug. When he spoke, he seemed to have ignored her comment, "Like I said I'm here to help you." He reached back into his jacket, this time slowly while keeping his free hand visible to her. 

Buffy watched as he removed a long black velvet box and hold it out to her. "What's that?" she questioned not taking the item from him.

"A gift." He stated again thrusting it into her hand and not accepting her refusal.

Buffy was forced to talk the box from him and she opened it cautiously. It contained a thick silver cross on a thin chain; it was a beautiful necklace- if it hadn't come from a strange monster man. "A gift from who?" Buffy refocused her attention on him, but found the space empty. She looked around quickly and saw the dark silhouette of the man walking away from her. "A GIFT FROM WHO?!" she called out after him.

"A friend." He responded back over his shoulder in a calm tone.

"Yeah well," Buffy called back, "What if I don't need anymore friends?!"

"I never said I was yours." He said back, allowing Buffy to hear his grin as he continued his path.

"GOOD!" Buffy yelled back. She hated whoever he was even more for trying to get the last word. Nobody got the last word with her, especially not hunky cryptic mystery men…vampires. Buffy shook her head and pocketed the necklace box. She didn't need to even think about that man in any sense of the word; her life was already complicated enough as it was.

Buffy sighed and turned towards the exit of the cemetery that she was patrolling. She figured that since she had lied to Xander about not patrolling she could make it up to him by surprising him with a visit. Not that she owed him an apology for lying to him, he was still just a friend…but she did still have plenty of extra energy. 

She would go over to Giles' and fill him in are her responsibility and initiative in the slaying department, then she would go over to Xander's and make up that morning to him. Buffy smiled to herself, momentarily forgetting that she had to be home, like, yesterday, but was still trying to pencil in some time with her…friend?

She hadn't lied when she said that she would be ready to give him whatever he needed from her to take their relationship to the next level. She would do that. She was ready for that. It was just…it was Xander.

Buffy had, honestly, been completely wigged that she could feel _that way about him. The other night the friend aspect with concern to him had been the farthest thing from her mind…almost too far. She had been able to separate the two entirely and just feel, and that morning it had almost happened again. He had been rubbing the back of her neck, and oh God, how she wanted to kiss him again…to have him keep touching her, but then…_

Then the whole fantasy erupted around her for reasons that she couldn't comprehend, and she just got so afraid that by wanting him that way that she did and how much she wanted him, that she couldn't possibly have both. He was, literally, everything that she wanted in her life, and she knew that there was some sort of written law that said that one person can't have everything…something about having cake and eating it too. So she left the cake. But halfway through Dawn's soccer game and about forty minutes of reliving his phantom kisses, Buffy realized that she had never wanted cake so bad in her entire life.

Buffy had to take a chance with cake, she settled as she made her way down Main Street and past all of the darkened store fronts as she headed towards her Watcher's house. She would have everything she wanted because that's what she always got, and Xander would have everything that he wanted because that's what he deserved. Buffy wouldn't run this time, she promised herself. She was ready now; despite whatever she had felt that morning after the complete comfort and warmth of waking up with her best friend faded away.

She decided to make her avowal to the strange dark man that she didn't run away from anybody a truth. No more running for Buffy Summers, she settled as she walked up the steps of Giles' townhouse. First slaying business then cake…then more grounded.

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The End Part 8


	9. Before the Fall of Rome Part 9

Title: Before the Fall of Rome (9/?)

Author: Brooke 

Email: yabbadabbadome13@yahoo.com 

Rating: R

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. I wished I owned the two Xanders' from "The Replacement" though. Buffy and friends are owned by Joss, Mutant Enemy, 20th Century Fox, The UPN and whoever else has rights to the show. 

Summary: You remember all that crap that started post-puberty…yeah, it's great isn't it. It was when life started

Distribution: I don't know why anybody would want this, but if somebody does…sure. 

Feedback: Definitely!! Tell me if it sucked or if you liked it. Whatever. Just write back!

Authors Note: Takes place in an AU season 1 where Buffy and Xander are best friends and Willow is the new girl as Sunnydale High. It is the beginning of their sophomore year and, as 15 and 16 year olds, hormones and feelings are taking center stage.

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"So, how'd it go?" the short man with an Irish accent asked when he saw Angel approaching him as he waited in the shadows on an alley behind a bar. "How'd she take it?"

"Take what?" Angel asked in a low voice. 

"Your whole spcheel. You know…I'm a vampire with a soul, and I'm here to help you…"

"She took the vampire thing better than expected," Angel grinned, interrupting his companion. "I mean, I'm still here after hunting down a Slayer."

Whistler nodded at him. Angel was, in fact, still there. It only begged the as to why. He had thought that it was a bad idea from the beginning for them to make this trip to Sunnydale…he had told the vampire repeatedly to just let the girl be; but, as always, he went ignored. But now, he wondered since Angel hadn't been dusted, was there more there than he thought. Slayers killed demons without discretion…usually. Whistler wanted to find out how his equally as demonic friend managed to walk away from his encounter. 

"I gave her the necklace." Angel continued as he leant back against the brick wall and let his head fall back against it. "I think she liked it." Not that it was about her liking it he chastised himself. 

Whistler raised his eyebrows at him, "I didn't think it was 'possed to be a lovey dovey gift there."

"It wasn't." Angel assured too quickly. "I…It was…"

"You do know that this'll get you killed." Whistler told him directly, "This fascination with…"

Angel pushed himself into a standing position and turned his back to the other man. "I'm only here because something is coming. It's big and I don't want her to get hurt." 

Whistler nodded as he noticed that Angel was walking away, heading out of the alley and back into the street. "Where you headed?" he asked at his back.

"I'm going to go find her," Angel shrugged, still not facing him, "Make sure she got in okay."

"It's wrong," Whistler called back to him. "What you're doing is wrong for you. If that's not enough, it's wrong for her."

Angel turned back quickly to face the other man. "Then why come here with me if you're so against it? Why bring me to her in the first place?"

The smaller man swallowed, "You were in a bad way…when I showed her to you- did it help? Did it help you find a purpose?"

Angel hung his head, "You know the answer to that."

"That's why then. I didn't do it so that you'd fall in love with a Slayer."

"Well that's what happened," Angel sighed out an unnecessary breath and turned back towards the street. "I'm going to go make sure that she's safe," he added simply as he turned the corner and headed out of Whistler's sight.

~*~*~*~

Buffy knocked once before turning the door knob and walking into Giles' house. "GILES?!" she called out, looking around as she wandered inside. "GILES?!"

"Buffy?" a voice questioned from the top of the stairs and she turned to see her Watcher descending from them. "What are you doing here?" he asked slightly worried, before his tone took on a more peeved tone, "And why don't you knock?"

Buffy fixed him with a small grin and shrugged, "I thought you'd be in," she said innocently, "I was right." She watched as he finished walking down the stairs before she plopped down on the couch in the center of the room. She had figured that she was stuck with this man as long as she was stuck being the Slayer, so she might as well be comfortable with him. "You of all people should know to lock your door here; I mean, jeez, ask for trouble much?"

Giles rolled his eyes at her and watched with slight fascination as she lifted her feet and let them fall to the surface of the coffee table. Teenagers he scoffed to himself as he approached her, lifted her legs by the ankle and dropped them back to the floor. "I thank you not to put you shoes on my furniture and to not barge into my home. If I'd have known that my home would be a beacon for disrespectful children I would have ruefully declined this position," he said sarcastically as he walked past her and into the kitchen. Giles was mildly pleased that now he wouldn't have to search for her for their conversation, she had come right to him.

Buffy mimicked him to his back and stood to follow him. "Speaking of disrespectful," she started nonchalantly, "I met your friend tonight…"

"And I met yours," Giles stated as he started his search for his tea cup. 

"Yeah, well," Buffy ignored him, not understanding his comment or caring to dwell on it for too long, "Yours was more of the stalky 'I'm gonna eat you' variety." She added drawing the man's attention. "I bet mine wasn't creepy."

"I'd beg to differ," Giles muttered, but then put it aside. "And I assure you that I have no idea what you're talking about."

Buffy narrowed her eyes at him as he poured hot water into his cup, "Oh come on," she smirked. "Tall, dark, and broody. Big ole' droopy forehead. Lotsa hair gel. Hot in a 'I have eyes' kinda way…ringing any bells?"

Giles stopped what he was doing and faced her silently before responding, "Not in the least." He stated, but his tone was off put by the curiosity in his voice. "You met this man where?" he asked before taking a cautious sip of tea. 

"On patrol," Buffy said rolling her eyes. 

"I thought I gave you the night off…"

"I got bored," she smiled a little. "Aren't you proud of me? I didn't even need you to make me do it."

"Quite," Giles huffed out and walked past her, back into the living room. Her comment flooded his memory of his conversation…or lack thereof, with Xander, and refocused him on what he really wanted to talk to her about.

Buffy let out an irritated sigh and turned melodramically to follow him again. "So I was on patrol and had, like, five kills, by the way…" she got a small nod and a brief proud grin from her Watcher in response. "And then I was all happy, because, yay me. Right? So then, out of nowhere, this Dark Avenger comes up and starts handing out jewelry." She finished and removed the necklace box from her jacket pocket and presented it to Giles. "I think he might have been evil." She added as he studied the cross through squinted eyes. 

"Interesting," he mumbled to himself.

"Interesting?" Buffy questioned. "This guy is stalking me AND knows that I'm the Slayer, and all you got is interesting?"

Giles raised his eyes to her for a moment, "Yes," he said simply, "Interesting."

"And you don't know him?" Buffy asked again, worry creeping into her tone. If Giles had nothing to do with it, then he had sought her out on his own. Why would a vampire do that if he had shown no apparent interest in ripping out her throat?

"No, I don't." Giles restated as he handed the necklace back over to her. Buffy took it silently and placed it back into her pocket. "But I do suggest that you be on high alert over the next few weeks," he continued, "Your identity is becoming too well known…" Giles watched her head drop momentarily and knew he had her. He may not be an expert of dealing with children, but as far as he could see she had just given herself away. "Speaking of which," he broached the next subject. And Buffy's eyes snapped up to meet his briefly before focusing on the wall to his right as she shifted nervously from foot to foot. He had just, literally, watched all her previous confidence melt away, leaving him faced with a nervous little girl. "Your friend…the one I spoke with today…Alexander…"

Buffy knew that he was fishing for her to give herself up. She wasn't about to give him the satisfaction of that. That; and the fact that she had nothing to say. Deep down she knew that Xander would approach Giles, but all the same, she was hoping he wouldn't. She was hoping that he was just pulling some overprotective BS because he thought that she might need his protection; he did have a habit of rushing to the rescue of the damsel in distress types. 

But apparently _this, of all possible things, he followed through on. She wasn't supposed to have told him, and was counting on him to not rat out his new found knowledge to her Watcher, but he had. She, honestly, didn't know weather to love him more for worrying so much that he had sought Giles out and confronted him about her calling; or to hate him for not being smart enough to keep the goddamned secret._

Giles waited for her to respond in any way, but she didn't. "Did you tell him that you were the Slayer Buffy?" he asked outright while staring directly at her.

"No," Buffy offered in a quiet tone as if she were searching for the right answer.

Giles sighed and shook his head, "I thought you understood the importance of your anonymity? Do you understand what the consequences of this are? What could happen…"

Buffy's senses prickled up in defense. "It's a lot to deal with Giles." She fired at him. "I'm sixteen. You seem to forget that…"

"You're sixteen," Giles agreed with a nod, "Like so many Slayers before you. Yet, you seem to be the only one who feels the need to broadcast…"

"I didn't broadcast anything." Buffy denied in a steady voice. "I told Xander because he's my best friend. I tell him everything."

"You, dear girl, are lucky that I have let you associate with any of your friends." Giles told her and Buffy looked at the ground again. "Have you any idea how many regulations I have broken for you to maintain a semblance of a normal life? I put myself on the line for you Buffy, and this is how you repay me?"

"It won't happen again Giles," Buffy said quietly. "I just…he knew something was wrong and…"

"You're right," Giles cut her off, "It won't happen again. You are not to see this Alexander…"

"You can't tell me what to do." Buffy told him, now looking him dead in the eyes. "You can't tell me to not see Xander. You're not my father…"

Giles stared at her, "Good thing," he huffed out, "A marvelous job you do of listening to him as well."

Buffy's jaw set, "I didn't come here for you to lecture me," she told him and stepped around him to the door. "I came here to tell you about the man I saw, and I did…so bye."

"I don't want to tell you what to do Buffy," Giles said as she walked past him. He grabbed her arm and forced her to stop her path. "What he knows about you will cause him more harm than good."

She could feel her Slayer defenses rising up inside of her, an occurrence that rarely happened when she wasn't in the presence of a demon. "Are you threatening him?" she narrowed her eyes at him and jerked her arm away.

Giles' eyes went wide but his tone remained steady, "Not in the least," he assured her. "I'm just stating a fact. The general population is not to know about the Slayer because of the threat it poses for them. He will be in danger now. Danger that has nothing to do with me…"

Buffy let out a shaky breath, her guilt welling inside of her. "I didn't tell him about the Slayer, I told him about me. About Buffy. He doesn't care about the Slayer." She said with the utmost confidence despite the fact that Giles was confirming her worst fears about her telling him anything at all.

Giles just looked at her. He could see that she was worried about the boy- maybe even more so than about herself…a fact that would get her in trouble. "Which is why he is in danger. I can tell that he will fight for you, Buffy. And I can tell that you will fight for him. But you must remember that this…this calling is about more than teenage love. It's about the world…"

Buffy shook her head and grasped the doorknob, pausing before yanking it open. She shivered at the slight chill of the air as it rushed over the flush skin on her face, "Right now," she told him, not facing him, "It's about me. I want to fight for the world, I will…but I'll die for him." She finished in a whisper, "I won't let anything happen to him."

"I don't doubt that," Giles said to Buffy's back. "But you must understand that you and you alone are my top priority. I am willing to sacrifice…"

"You don't want to complete that sentence," Buffy's voice trembled from the low tone. "If you job is to make me slay and save the world, then by all means, knock yourself out and take me with you…but if I'm your top priority, Xander is now too. So don't complete that sentence because I'll walk away from this."

Giles wished that she would look at him, but he knew that she was afraid…confused…a variety of other emotions that she didn't want him to know anything about. "Well, at least take better care to not give him the wrong idea… he seemed to think that…"

"I'll talk to him." Buffy said as she finally stepped outside. She stopped when she reached the bottom of his stairs and turned her head slightly to face her Watcher over her shoulder, "I hope you don't take this the wrong way," she thought about what to say next, but settled quickly on the words, "but stay away from him."

Buffy didn't look back as she walked away from her Watcher's home. She had one more stop before she went home so she set her course for Xander's. Buffy laughed to herself as she realized that she wasn't nearly as busy when she wasn't grounded. Now all she had to do was decide how to get rid of her now exceedingly excess well of energy…she would either kiss Xander for caring so much, or strangle him for being such a huge macho pain in the ass. Whatever she chose she's work out the details on the way.

~*~*~*~

Jesse yawned and flicked off his TV, casting his room into darkness. Willow had left on her date an hour ago, Xander was in the shower, and Buffy wasn't answering her phone. He didn't have anybody left to call so he was sitting alone watching re-runs of Saturday Night Live on his couch in the basement.

He had thought about just going out to the Bronze alone earlier, just to meet some new people, but had decided against it. He thought that his depressed funk might show too much for people to actually want to talk to him, and his lack of dancing skills were bound to only be accentuated without Xander there to show him up or Buffy there to pretend like they were actually good at what they were attempting to do.

He didn't even want to think anymore because the more he did the stronger the urge to crash Willow's date got. He had no idea what to do, so he decided on the next best thing…nothing. He would do absolutely nothing. 

Jesse McCormick was beyond petty teenaged lust. He didn't need a girlfriend. I don't even need regular friends he reminded himself somberly. He shook his head and studies the wall opposite him in the dark; what was he thinking…he had friends. He really did. It was just that this growing up thing was throwing them for a huge loop, and everybody was trying to deal- that's all it was. They wouldn't always have time for each other; and his grandfather had told him once that part of growing up is growing apart…of course his grandfather was a manic depressive alcoholic, so Jesse doubted how much of that advice he wanted to take to heart. 

He lay back down against the pillows and shut his eyes, not quiet tired, but not wanting to keep them open. He was restless. Usually on a Saturday night it would be him, Xander, and Buffy hitting the Bronze, or the mall, or anything really, but they would goof off until he actually felt tired, but that wasn't the case tonight. Tonight, for the first time in forever, they were all doing their own thing, which for everyone excluding him had included going outside into the world.

Jesse stood up slowly and stumbled through the dark room towards the stairs, tripping a little over his empty pizza box. A walk would be good he thought Nice night, fresh air…it'll clear my head. He headed upstairs and grabbed his coat from the hook by the door, making sure to put his keys in his pocket before he locked the door behind him. He took a deep breath and rocked his head from side to side to crack his neck before he started down his street. He had done a lot of walking around recently- he thought it helped somewhat. Like that afternoon, on his way back from Willow's.

That walk had finally helped him settle on what his problem was and the best course of action to take to resolve it. He cared. Jesse didn't admit to that a lot. He liked people to think that he was ambivalent to a lot of things that happened around him. In fact, that afternoon was the first time in about a year that he had shown that much emotion…that much anger. The time before that being when he heard some of the guys on the football team talking shit about Buffy in the locker room freshman year- he had three days suspension for that reaction.

But today, Willow had gotten a reaction out of him. Something he wasn't expecting her, of all people to be able to do. So he had to admit that he cared about her. That left him with having to tell her. 

He focused on the clear night sky that was dotted with stars as he headed down Ventnor Street, one of the ritziest neighborhoods in town. I think Cordelia lives on this street. he wondered to himself. He hoped he was wrong, because the last thing he needed was for the head cheerleader to see him out alone on a Saturday night just walking. She'd have him labeled a bigger loser freak by Monday for sure if she caught sight of him, and that was not something that he needed.

Especially not when he had to figure out how to talk to Willow. He was pretty sure that his social status at Sunnydale High wouldn't affect his chances with her, if he had any to begin with, but he didn't wan to have to put her in a more awkward situation by having to take more gigantic leap down from the Popularity King that was Percy Jackson to be with the likes of him.

Jesse made his way quickly down the street, almost breaking into a jog for a moment until he was able to turn the corner and slow his pace. He figured, as he jammed his hands into his pockets, that he should just tell her. He should take his own advice to Buffy and Xander and just get everything out in the open…but, now, he was just realizing, that it was easier said than done. He couldn't imagine being rejected by one of his newest friends; and their group dynamic was already in the crapper because of the 'Love Square'.

"What cha doing out so late?" a female voice sounded behind him suddenly. Jesse jumped and turned around quickly to face her. He hadn't even heard any footsteps behind him. "And all alone…" she noted with a half grin.

Not so bad was Jesse's first thought as he looked at her. His fear had dissipated when he realized that it was a girl, about Buffy's height and general size, blonde…she even has the innocent grin thing down, gotta love that in a chick. "Just walking," he tried to say calmly as he gestured around the street with his head. "It's a nice night."

The girl nodded at him and maintained her smile. "It is. No plans? Nobody waiting for you?"

Jesse sighed sadly, "Not a one. But don't take that to mean that I don't have friends," he added quickly. "I do. I have lots of them. We party…a lot. They were just busy tonight."

"Leaving you out here all alone," the girl shrugged and took a step closer to him, "Doesn't sound like such great friends."

"No," Jesse disagreed, "They are." He received a smirk in reply and suddenly found himself looking directly down into pair of clear hazel eyes. His voice caught in his throat and he gulped down a breath without stepping away, "Why are you out? No place to go? I find that hard to believe…"

"I was looking for you, I guess." She smiled flirtatiously at him. 

Jesse laughed nervously, "Yeah. You found me…so; uh…what's your name?"

She tilted her head and glanced up into his eyes, "Darla."

He licked his lips and nodded all his previous thoughts rushing out of his mind faster than he could fail a calc exam. "Just the one name- kinda like Cher…or Ozzy…"

"What's your name?" she asked.

Jesse was thankful that she interrupted his babbling, "Jesse. I'm Jesse."

"Well, Jesse." She smiled at him and reached for his hand before turning them and starting a path down the sidewalk again, "You shouldn't be out here alone at night…there might be monsters," she giggled a little at the last part.

He cast a sideways glance at her and then looked down at their joined hands. Her's was so cold against his palm… "I'm not afraid of monsters," he grinned, "I laugh in the face of danger."

"Then it's a good thing I found you," she said as she lead him down the street, keeping her focus straight ahead. "I get very scared in the dark. I need a big strong man to walk me home."

"Well, I got the man part," Jesse joked nervously. "Where is home, exactly?" he asked after a moment, as she seemed to have a direction that she was head in. A direction that was farther and farther from his house…and the town.

"We're really close," she assured him, finally casting him a glance over her shoulder. She smiled, gaining his attention from his study of their surroundings. "You're not scared are you?"

He shook his head vigorously, "Me? What? Naw…it's just…it's getting late. I don't want my parents to worry…"

"Good." Darla smiled again. "I'd hate for you to leave me all alone out here," she said as she dropped her gaze and his hand, allowing her to take a few steps ahead of him. "Did you hear that?" she asked suddenly.

Jesse perked up and peered over her shoulder from behind, trying to see into the shadows in front of her. "No," he said worriedly, "What was it? Maybe this isn't the best place to be right now…" He hated the area down by the docks during the day. Nothing short of a million dollar prize for all sixteen year old boys named Jesse Schyular McCormick would get him down here at night…well, that, and it seemed pretty girls.

"It was a noise" Darla insisted, keeping her back to him. Not allowing him to see the devious smirk on her face as it changed. She looked straight ahead as her demonic visage appeared the ridges and fangs that marked her as a vampire becoming apparent.

"What'd it sound like?" Jesse asked unsure, wanting nothing more than to get out of there.

Darla whirled around quickly, her hands gripping Jesse's shoulders in a vice grip and not letting go as he gasped at her mangled appearance. His eyes wide as he tried, to no avail, to pull away as she titled her head and bares her fangs, "A scream," she said with a evil laugh as she buried her face in the side of his neck.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The End Part 9


	10. Before the Fall of Rome Part 10

Title: Before the Fall of Rome (10/?)

Author: Brooke 

Email: yabbadabbadome13@yahoo.com 

Rating: R

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. I wished I owned the two Xanders' from "The Replacement" though. Buffy and friends are owned by Joss, Mutant Enemy, 20th Century Fox, The UPN and whoever else has rights to the show. 

Summary: You remember all that crap that started post-puberty…yeah, it's great isn't it. It was when life started

Distribution: I don't know why anybody would want this, but if somebody does…sure. 

Feedback: Definitely!! Tell me if it sucked or if you liked it. Whatever. Just write back!

Authors Note: Takes place in an AU season 1 where Buffy and Xander are best friends and Willow is the new girl as Sunnydale High. It is the beginning of their sophomore year and, as 15 and 16 year olds, hormones and feelings are taking center stage.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Buffy had been right about this place, Willow thought as she glanced around the dining area discretely. She had said that Scott had taken her to Guerdinni's for their first date and that it was one of the fanciest places in town. Willow was surprised that Percy would pull out all the stops for their first date though; Scott was, like, obsessed with Buffy, so it made sense. She and Percy were…well, not at all like Buffy and Scott, that was for sure.

Willow glanced up at her date and saw him watching her. She put a warm smile in place and took a sip of her Sprite and laughed a little as Percy redirected his eyes when she caught his gaze.

"So," he ventured after a moment and a bite of bread stick, "Do you like this place?"

Lame. Willow thought, but smiled at him again, "Yeah, its' nice."

"It's Italian," Percy nodded. 

Willow's brow furrowed and she looked down at her food. She had no idea how to respond to his statement of the obvious but it was a god-sent that he was speaking again. "Ranker told me about it," he told her, "I told him that I had a hot date and I wanted to take her someplace special."

She gave him a genuine smile for that complement. Just as he was prone to making ridiculously asinine comments, he was always quick to throw out sappy endearments, as well. Willow figured it for a talent because the latter made the former fade into the back of her mind. "I didn't know Andy Ranker could pronounce foreign names."

Percy shook his head a little and chuckled. "Sometimes I don't think Andy Ranker can say his name," he agreed. "But I think I got the idea if what he said. I mean, even if I didn't, this place is great as far as mistakes go."

Willow took a bite of her pasta and pondered what he had said. He had had conversations about this date with his team, even asked their opinions. He had taken it seriously… 

"I'm glad you like it," he told her, "I was wiggin cuz I didn't know if you would."

She lifted her eyes a little to catch his. "I made you nervous?" she asked in the innocent voice that Buffy had shown her always worked on guys. In fact, as testament to how well it worked, Buffy had even used it to get Xander to show Willow his baby pictures. She knew it was golden because he had to get them out of a huge show box hidden under his bed.

Percy's eyes darted around the room for a moment. "Yeah," he choked out, "Yeah, a little… I mean…girls…"

"Girls what?" Willow prodded curiously.

"I don't…ask them out, I guess," he said honestly. "The girls a school like the football star - they flock. You didn't. You have mystery." He narrowed his eyes at her as if he were studying her. "I want to know why you're different."

Willow looked down at the table shyly. "Wow," she breathed out. "I have to admit, I wasn't expecting such a deep reason."

"Why?" Percy grinned, "Cuz I'm a jock. Just here to be pretty and catch a ball?"

"No," Willow disagreed too quickly. "Maybe," she admitted with a small grin at his raised eyebrows. "I just…I was trying to figure out why me? And I wasn't expecting you to have…"

"I see you everyday, Willow. Everyday; and you're something new to me each time. I surprised me too, you know? I guess I'm more than I thought I was too."

She gave him a half smile, "You are more."

"You going to help me believe that?" he asked quietly.

"You want me to?" Willow's heart was racing. She was all nervous and her legs were shaking a little under the table. She had never been very good with boys, and they had never really pursued her to get any practice in at interacting with them, but this one…this popular football team captain was putting himself out there for her, it seemed, more than she expected. He was just as vulnerable in this situation as she was, and it was completely new to her.

Percy nodded and moved his hand to grasp hers over the table, "I might go back to shallow without you." He joked about himself. 

His hand felt warm over hers, slightly damp against the top of her palm. "Wouldn't want that…"

"Can I get you anything else?" a voice interrupted from above them and suddenly both looked up to face the waiter.

"No," Percy gave a tight lipped grin, "Just the bill." He then turned his attention back to Willow with a smile, "I made a promise to the lady's father to have her home in about forty minutes and I've got one more place to take her."

The young looking waiter nodded, his eyes darting between the couple. "Sure thing," he nodded before moving to walk away. He stopped suddenly and re-approached the table again. "Do you guys go to SDH?" he asked looking them over again.

"Yeah," Percy told him leaning back in his chair, as if to let him know that this was not the time for conversation. "Percy Jackson," he said, "Quarterback."

"Thought you were familiar," the other boy nodded. "Hope you have a better season this year."

Percy narrowed his eyes at him, "Yeah. What are you? Alumni?"

"No." The boy said simply. "Junior. Dan Osborne."

"The Dingoes Ate my Baby?" Willow spoke up. "You guys play the Bronze a lot, huh?"

"Yeah," the waiter nodded with a small smile. "It's not football, but I did sprain my finger once."

"Well for the music it's worth it," Willow offered with an impressed smile. She thought that she had recognized the waiter earlier; after all he was pretty hard to mistake. He was about 5'5, but his most distinguishing feature was his bright orange spiky hair and clear green eyes. He was very cute in the non-conventional rocker boy way. The complete opposite of her current date, but attractive nonetheless.

"I agree." He said with a slight grin.

"How bout that bill, Dan?" Percy cut in a clipped tone.

"Oz," the waiter corrected shortly. "Coming right up." 

Willow heard him sigh as he turned and walked away this time. She kept her eyes on his back as he walked towards the waiter station, but soon heard Percy's voice in the back of her mind…

"So," he said, squeezing her hand with a small smile. "Feel like a little walk?"

Willow turned to face him and put a smile in place. "Yeah," she agreed.

"I know you're new here," he continued, "And I know that Buffy has been showing you around, but I know some places she may have neglected to take you too…hopefully."

She bit her lower lip and nodded, "I don't know, she is a pretty good tour guide…"

"I just hope she didn't steal any of my moves," Percy licked his lips with a grin. "If I can't show a pretty girl Old Tyme Downtown Sunnydale at night, I'm going to be fresh outta luck."

"I'm sure you'll offer a shiny new perspective." Willow assured him as the Oz re-approached the table.

"The bill," he stated, placing the small black folder on the table in front of Percy. 

"Thanks man," he said, taking out his credit card and handing it over. He then focused on Willow again, "You're gonna love this." He said excitedly, "I can't wait to show you."

~*~*~*~

Something was following her; Buffy knew that for a fact. She could feel it…a tingling in the back of her neck as she walked slowly down the dark street on her way to Xander's place.

She looked around and then crossed the street in a slow jog, careful not to look in behind her. Buffy liked using the whole 'I'm an unsuspecting helpless little girl' thing to her full advantage. Most demons didn't know what hit them when she lifted them up by their throats and threw them all over town – it was pretty funny actually. But, right now, toying with demonic vices wasn't what she wanted at all, so she chose to ignore whatever it was as long as she could, if for no other reason than to save time.

See, right now, Buffy the Vampire Slayer was internally battling Buffy the Teenager – and the teenager was winning. She wanted to make out with a hot boy, so she was kicking the ass of whatever ancient mumbo-jumbo that the Slayer had instilled her with. Besides, the thing that was following her didn't seem to be attacking her…it was just trailing her, for the last fifteen minutes.

Buffy scouted out her surrounding looking for a half decent location to end this low key chase. She knew she would have to – the idea of the little boy who had died at the hands of something that she didn't kill in time assured her of that. And, what with that strange vampire from the house who knew all about her and Xander still unalive and kicking…she just couldn't take the chance of leading danger right to him.

She was glad that it was fairly deserted right now, not that Sunnydale had a happening after hour's scene even on the weekends; but now she was past any of the late night stragglers that were out. Buffy stopped dead in her tracks and folded her arms across her chest. "Alright," she huffed out. "I'm gonna stop with the cat and mouse and start with the ass kicking of you."

There was no noise in response and she narrowed her eyes, turning around slowly. The street was still deserted. "Can you stop wasting my time please? Jesus, I've got curfew." She said into the night.

Still nothing. 

Suddenly Buffy felt the air behind her change slightly, almost just a whisper of wind on her bare arm and she spun around. She grabbed with her right arm and her hand curled around the throat of the thing that was trying to pass discretely behind her. The throat of…the guy from the cemetery earlier in the night. Great. Her mind said sarcastically, Just what I need.

Angel gasped in surprise and held himself tense as he was lifted off of the ground by the Slayer, who herself, couldn't be taller than 5'3. "Nice to see you again," he choked out with a labored smile when he saw her roll her eyes at him.

"Can't say the same for you," Buffy sneered and retained her grip on him. "Why are you following me again? I thought I told you before how unflattering stalking is."

Angel reached up and gripped her wrist, applying slight force on her pressure points and felt her hand relax. Buffy snatched it away from him and cradled the numb appendage in her left hand with a scowl. "You're lucky I don't kill you right now." She shot at him with narrowed eyes.

"I suppose." Angel nodded, but then asked, "Why is that?"

"You're not worth the effort." She said back immediately. "And stop nodding at everything I say. It's annoying." She added when the man moved his head.

"Listen," Angel said quickly. Silence was not something he could afford with this girl and he knew it. "I think we got off to a bad start…"

"Gee," Buffy put her finger on her chin, "Whatever gave you that idea? Oh wait," she answered herself, "It could've been the whole I'm destined to kill you cuz you're a vampire thing."

"Then we're back to wondering why that hasn't happened yet." Angel pointed out.

"You're pushing your luck…"

"I…I just wanted to make sure that you got in alright tonight, that's all." He interrupted her. 

"How sweet of you." Buffy smirked at him. "But I can take care of myself," she added as she pushed her way past him, making sure to use extra force when she ran into his arm on her way. She had been friends with Xander and Jesse long enough to pick up on some basic sarcasm and know how to use it as a defense mechanism. She didn't know how to read this man, but what bothered her more than that was that she didn't have a decent answer for him. Buffy had no idea why she had not killed this demon yet…she didn't want to think about why right then either, she just wanted to get very far away from him.

"I know," Angel assured her, now talking to her back, "But that doesn't change the fact that something is coming…something big." That got her attention he noted as she stopped again and turned slowly to face him. "You can feel it, can't you?"

Buffy looked directly into his eyes, trying to see what he was getting at. There was something in his dark orbs…something whole and burning and… "What is it?" she asked quietly, her voice catching in her throat. Suddenly her mission to get to Xander's was pushed to the back of her mind, because truth be told, she could feel something. It was big, and it was making her itch with nervous anticipation that was consuming her more and more with each passing day.

"I don't know…"

"Then you're no help," Buffy said quickly and grabbed at him. She had him lifted up by the collar of his black duster before he could react, and had her stake pulled out of her waistband and to his heart as she took in his wide eyes. "I guess I can kill you now then," she smiled, what she knew was an evil grin.

"I can help," Angel said quickly. "That's why I'm here. I want to help you…"

"I thought I told you that I didn't want anymore friends." Buffy questioned her hesitance again, but kept the man suspended.

"And I thought I told you that I didn't care what you think you need."

"You're not in the position to pull any shit here," Buffy pointed out. "I've got you beat right now."

"I'm not going to fight you," Angel said. "You can know I'm going to do anything I can to help you because I'm not going to let you die, or I can do it in secret, but I'm not going to fight you."

Buffy relaxed her arm and let his feet hit the ground again, but kept her stake poised. "You're not really great at keeping secrets then, are you?"

"I don't think you are either." Angel sent her a knowing smirk as he adjusted his coat, careful not to make any sudden movements as he could feel the tip of her stake still pressed into his chest.

He's been following me all night… "Who are you?" she asked cautiously, her brow furrowed.

Angel swallowed. He was half nervous at being so close to the Slayer and half terrified at the fact that he was standing so close to Buffy. Buffy who had no idea how much he knew about her. Buffy who he would die a thousand times over for, and she had not idea…was not allowed to have any idea. Angel wondered how long he could keep that a secret, especially since he knew she had to be feeling something towards him too. She had to because he was still tangible and not blowing in the wind.

"Angel," he told her simply. 

It was Buffy's turn to nod. "Cute name," she looked him up and down, "Almost pretty. How'd you get it? It's sort of an anomaly, isn't it?"

"How do you know what I am?" he answered her question with a question, keeping his voice steady.

"I can feel it." Buffy smirked. "I supposed to be able to feel the vampire deal…frankly, you reek of it…"

She trailed off when she heard a faint noise come from her left and she turned to face it. It sounded like a muffled aborted scream…a male scream.

"You hear that?" Angel asked her, studying the same direction that Buffy was no facing. 

"Yeah," she nodded, not facing him and starting towards the noise in a sprint. If this Angel character wanted to help her, it was up to him to keep up.

Her heart was racing as she ran towards where she thought she heard the scream come from. She was constantly being impressed by herself at the amount of instinct that she had inherited from the Slayer virtually over night. The feelings were powerful, amazing…almost overwhelming.

Buffy had lost track of Angel as she turned the corner into an alley. She was about three blocks away from where she had stopped to confront Angel… Angel. She still had questions for him, she still didn't trust him. Why would a vampire _want to help a Slayer?_

"Hey!" She called out when she saw it. _It being exactly what she thought it was – a vampire feeding in progress. Something was coming; this was the fifth vampire she was going to kill that night. It was a female, short, blonde, and mostly blocked by the body of a tall male that she was holding and feeding from. "You're not supposed to eat after seven, it's bad for the whole digestion deal," Buffy quipped approaching the tow figures._

The female vampire sneered at her, blood glistening on her lip as she licked at her fangs. "Surely you know all about a late night snack." She smirked and Buffy watched the man's head fall forward, his body partially limp. She hoped he was alive…that she had gotten there in time.

"Bad line," Buffy said as she charged her new opponent, "Now I'm going to have to kill you for calling me fat, too."

The vampire flung the body she was holding towards the alley wall and Buffy watched through the shadows as the man crashed, unconscious, into some crates. "I'm game," she grinned, "I'm still hungry anyway."

Buffy landed a snap kick to her stomach and doubled her over before bringing her knee up, connecting solidly with her face and sending the vampire backwards to the ground. "Not much for the fisticuffs, huh?" Buffy asked with raised eyebrows as she watched the vampire holding, what was probably, a broken nose.

Darla watched her attacker, the pain in her eyes overshadowed by her confusion. "Who are you?" she asked in a voice muffled by her hands as she stayed on the ground.

Buffy glanced at her and made her way over to the body that had been discarded so callously into the alley wall. "You worst nightmare, I assure you." She said confidently as she crouched down beside it, working hastily to clear the debris. Buffy reached down and tugged at the unconscious man's collar, pulling him into a sitting position and a horrified gasp broke out of her throat. "Jesse?!" she was suddenly on high alert and she tried to get him off of the ground, "Oh my God, Jesse! Come on!" she shook him lightly as she felt of a pulse on his wrist, finding a weak beat. "Wake up Jess…"

"Friend of yours?"

Buffy looked up as the female voice was right on top of her now. The distraction of finding out that the victim was one of her best friends giving the demon a massive advantage as she had been snuck up on.

"Buff?" Jesse's voice mumbled and she was pulled by her hair to her feet by the vampire, forcing her to drop him back into the boxes with a thud. "I think she gave me a hickey," he said dazedly, now starring up at the night sky through blurry eyes. He slowly moved his hand to the side of his neck and felt the slick swollen skin there. "Yeah," he assured himself as he listened to the muted sounds of a struggle happening near him, "That's a hickey…"

Buffy winced as she dropped Jesse back to the ground, but sighed at the fact that he seemed to be, at least, semi-conscious. Her relief was short lived, however, as she was thrown backwards and into a brick wall behind her. Her vision spun and went momentarily black as her head connected with the wall first and her legs gave out from underneath her as she slid to the ground.

She was expecting a follow up hit, but when she opened her eyes she saw why it didn't come. Buffy watched as Angel help the other vampire from behind and threw her threw her forcefully, sending her flying about seven feet off of the ground and into the opposite wall with a loud crack. Buffy got to her feet and started back to where Jesse lay, leaving the fight to Angel.

Buffy pulled her friend up into a sitting position again and watched Angel over her shoulder…he was beating the female mercilessly, and she just seemed to be taking it with a smile on her face. "You're okay, Jess," Buffy turned back the boy in her arms. "I'm gonna get you to a hospital…"

"Whatareya doinn ere Buff?" Jesse slurred through his blood loss. "It's not safe here.

"Tell me about it." Buffy mumbled as she stroked the hair off of his forehead. She was trying to work out the best way to pick him up and the shortest possible route to the hospital from where she was. "Wanna hurry that up?!" she called out in frustration to Angel, "I haveta get him help!"

Angel glanced back to Buffy over his shoulder and Darla used the distraction the kick him in the groin. He winced as he doubled over, now looking up at her through his eyelashes as she grinned down at him, still in demonic vestige. "Oh, poor Angel." She sang. "I thought it was a lie, but it's true."

"What is?" Angel bit out through clenched teeth.

"That's the Slayer." Darla grinned at Buffy as if she had just unwrapped a prize – the realization had just dawned on her. "The Slayer that you're protecting…that you love."

Angel stood up and unleashed a strong jab to her face, turning her around and sending her to the ground a few feet away. "Leave now, Darla, or I'll kill you." He said seriously.

Darla was laughing at him as she rolled to her feet. She brushed the dirt off of her quilt and tilted her head at him, "I'll leave but you know this won't be the last we meet lover. It's far from over."

Angel watched her as she backed into the darkness. He couldn't kill her anymore than Buffy could kill him…that was a wrapped realization. He shook his head and ran over to the kneeling Slayer.

"Long lost girlfriend?" Buffy smirked at him distractedly, not exactly knowing why her voice sounded so bitter right then.

"Something like that," Angel answered. "Let's get him out of here." He changed the subject and moved to lift Jesse off of the ground.

Buffy jumped at the vampire's movement, "No," she shielded her weakened friend's body with her own. "Don't touch him." She shifted her weight and stood up with his body, one arm under his knees and the other around his shoulders.

"Buff…" Jesse looked blearily at her as he found himself in the air, her face above his. "Didya just pick me up?"

"Yeah Jess," she said to him tenderly as she started out of the alley. She knew she was going to have to explain a whole lot to him, and knew that Giles was going to have to pencil in another freak out because of it – but; she resigned, she would have to worry about that later. "We're going to the hospital."

Jesse looked like a thousand questions passed through his mind, but all he could muster was a nod before he shut his eyes. "You just keep my path clear," Buffy called back over her shoulder to Angel as she kept walking. "If anything gets in my way right now you won't have to worry about facing anymore Slayers."

Angel just watched in confused disbelief as Buffy kept a swift pace and her voice faded as she got further away. That was just one more thing he was drawn to about her – she had friends and she would die for them. She would kill for them. He stood to his feet and followed her path. He didn't know if she would make true on her threat, but he knew that he didn't want to find out.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The End Part 10


	11. Before the Fall of Rome Part 11

Title: Before the Fall of Rome

Author: Brooke 

Email: yabbadabbadome13@yahoo.com 

Rating: R

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. I wished I owned the two Xanders' from "The Replacement" though. Buffy and friends are owned by Joss, Mutant Enemy, 20th Century Fox, The UPN and whoever else has rights to the show. 

Summary: You remember all that crap that started post-puberty…yeah, it's great isn't it. It was when life started

Distribution: I don't know why anybody would want this, but if somebody does…sure. 

Feedback: Definitely!! Tell me if it sucked or if you liked it. Whatever. Just write back!

Authors Note: Takes place in an AU season 1 where Buffy and Xander are best friends and Willow is the new girl as Sunnydale High. It is the beginning of their sophomore year and, as 15 and 16 year olds, hormones and feelings are taking center stage.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Buffy sat with her eyes focused ahead, still wide and red. Tear tracks staining her cheeks as she alternated her vision from the corner of the opposite wall to the shiny linoleum floor. All she could hear was the constant buzz of the too bright fluorescent lights overhead, and all he did was watch her.

She had carried a barely conscious Jess all the way to the hospital, only stopping her run to momentarily catch her breath before taking off again. Buffy could still see the shocked looks in the hospital workers eyes when she burst through the automatic doors holding the body of a boy who was probably larger than her when he was twelve. 

Angel had followed her there. She didn't know if he had killed anything to keep her safe in the way…to keep himself safe on the way, because she wasn't lying that she would kill him if she were to be distracted from her task. Good thing she wasn't – for him. 

But he hadn't left after she had arrived safely. He was waiting for her. And a lot of help that was. Angel was sitting across the bright hall in a plastic chair matching her own just staring at her. She wanted to say something to him…to yell at him…hit him…

This was his fault. He was a vampire – vampires had done this to her friend. He _knew the goddamned one who was could very well be responsible for Jesse's death. Buffy's breath caught in her throat again at the thought of her friend dying that night. If that happened, Angel would be next. She didn't care what he knew, or could help with because she'd stake him right in front of the nurses' station and not give a shit about who saw her do it or what she would have to explain. If anything happened to Jesse…_

Buffy hadn't even known who to call when she got there. She couldn't call Giles, because then she'd have to explain everything to him, and she couldn't call anybodies parents because there was no explanation for what had happened…she just didn't feel like dealing with anything tonight. She just wanted to go to sleep, where it was safe, and she was normal and her friends didn't get hurt by monsters in the night.

She needed the one person who she wouldn't have to explain anything to…who would let her be silent and hold her until she was ready to talk…

"Buffy!" the familiar voice sounded through the hollow halls in concert with the stomp of rubber sneaker soles. 

Xander.

Buffy had called Xander.

She turned her head to face him with wide eyes and he only quickened his pace to reach her when he saw her. Xander hated that he had to come find her there, but was half relieved that it wasn't under worse circumstances. When she had called him she had been crying – outright sobbing into the phone and choking out her words; and Xander had left his house immediately. He was in such a hurry that he didn't even bother to consider walking to get to her; he had taken the set of spare car key that his father had given him for his sixteenth birthday and driven like a bat out of hell through the deserted streets. Permit be damned his Buffy needed him, he just hoped that his parents wouldn't wake up, or else he'd be in the same grounded paddy wagon that Buffy was in.

Buffy stood as Xander reached her and was pulled directly into his arms, her face buried in his shoulder as he cooed in her ear. She could feel herself start to cry again and Xander began rocking her form side to side. "I'm so sorry," she mumbled into him. "I…I got there and he was…it was…"

"It's okay," Xander whispered. "It's okay. He's fine now. You got him to the hospital…they'll make him better…"

Buffy pulled away from his shoulder but stayed in his arms so she could look at him. "They're taking so long…" she sounded lost and Xander released his hold on her waist to frame her face with his hands. 

"They're doing their job, just like you did yours." He said genuinely. "You saved him…"

"What if I didn't…"

"You did." Xander insisted, not accepting disagreement. "You're gonna be his hero." Buffy's mouth shook as she formed a half smile and Xander pulled her back into a tight hug. Just where she wanted to be. All of the sudden her being mad at him for going to Giles was in the back of her mind; all she wanted was her friend…her more.

Angel watched the whole scene with a lump in his throat as he was ignored by the two teens. Xander fucking Harris. his mind sneered at the boy. The boy who was holding and comforting Buffy, who was more like a regular girl right then than Angel thought he had every seen her up close. He had to figure that she had forgotten that he was there – but then reprimanded himself. He didn't like the fact that the boy could make her not care who saw her weaknesses…hated that she was a completely different person just for him.

He had seen Buffy and Xander almost every night since he had gotten to town. The best of friends. So much more than just friends. 

Angel took an unnecessary deep breath and a low growl emanated from his throat. That seemed to have gotten their attention because when he refocused to the couple he found Buffy watching him from the cocoon of Xander's arms; her cheek still pressed against the sweatshirt covered plain of his chest. 

"You can go now," she told him plainly, and for the first time Xander noticed somebody else in the room. He had gotten so caught up in comforting Buffy he had forgotten that other people even existed; he liked it just being them anyway. Xander's favorite thing in the world, now, it seemed, was when it was just he and Buffy.

Xander focused on the man, forcing himself to stand up a little bit straighter and tightening his hole on Buffy, just as she did to him when she spoke. "Who are you?" he asked instead of a greeting. With what he had recently found out about his town, he didn't think he could afford friendly greeting with anybody he met in the night…especially not strange grown men who were staring at Buffy like she were the cure for cancer. Only he could do that. Buffy was his cure…

"Angel," he stood up and approached them extending his hand. The least he could do, Angel figured, was be cordial. After all these were just children.

 Xander unwrapped one arm from around Buffy, who stayed close to him and extended it cautiously towards the man. He added some extra strength as he gripped the man's hand and shook it. "Xander," he said briefly, noting how cold the man's strong return grip was. He made a note to ask Buffy about his origins later. 

Angel watched with moderately uncomfortable air as Xander maintained his grip on Buffy as soon as they released hands. That was what spurred his next comment. "I'm actually going to wait around until we hear something," he told them.

Buffy sighed and re-buried her face against Xander, "Suit yourself," she said with a low groan. 

Xander glanced down at the top of Buffy's head and then back at the man. He had to wonder what had transpired between them to piss her off so much; but even still that didn't change the fact that whatever he was or did, he had helped a little bit, so… "Thanks for helping out man," he said in a low voice with a nod as he felt Buffy pull out of his embrace and grasp his hand, tugging him down into the chair next to the one she had been sitting in.

"Any time," Angel nodded to the now seated teens: Buffy who was ignoring him and leaning on Xander's shoulder, and Xander who seemed to be slightly confused as to what exactly he had walked into, but not refusing her show of affection, nonetheless. "Right Buffy?" Angel asked, "I'm always here to help."

Buffy nodded a little before standing up quickly and pulling Xander with her again. Angel could tell that he was fighting to keep up with her Slayer strength, and how easily he was moved offered the vampire some entertainment. "I want to walk." Buffy told him quietly and Xander nodded. "I can't sit here anymore not knowing anything."

"Sure," Xander agreed. "A short one though."

Buffy nodded and started to lead him down the hall, "I want to stay close in case we hear anything."

"We'll be right back," Xander called over his shoulder to Angel, who Buffy, apparently didn't care enough to acknowledge in her retreat.

Angel nodded, even though he was now alone in the hall. "And I'll be here." Never a greater truth ever existed to him in concerns with his current situation. Buffy could walk away from him and he would always wait patiently…begrudgingly, for her return.

~*~*~*~

"Vampires?" Xander huffed out as he looked up and down the empty corridor that was around the corner from where they had left Angel. Buffy didn't even nod, she just simply looked down at the tiled floor, her arms crossed over her stomach. When she didn't respond Xander trained his vision on her. "Vampires?" he asked again, as if it were a completely formed question.

Buffy had known that he would come to the hospital when she asked, but now he wanted answers. She knew that he was probably having a hard time, to say the least, accepting this whole situation, especially since he had felt the need to try to get her out of it. That just proved that there was no way that he understood what she was now…what she had to do. All she could do was nod dumbly at him. Buffy had nothing to say. To tell the truth she felt sick – the whole situation was making her nauseous. She didn't want to have to deal with anything, let alone another half-assed explanation as to what the Slayer was. Another explanation that Xander wouldn't understand anyway.

"I don't know what you want me to say," she whispered as she tried to keep her tears from falling. "I just…there was one, and…and she threw him…when I got to him it was Jesse…"

Xander shook his head as he looked at her – watched her studying the floor through watery eyes. He sighed when he saw her shoulders shaky slightly with a particularly deep breath. 

"I don't want him to die…" she said so quietly that Xander almost didn't hear her. So many kids had died from unexplained causes…causes that Buffy now had the answers for…that she was to stop. She had known kids that had died – been to funerals for her classmates, not knowing that they were victims of the same fate that she may have rescued Jesse from. 

May have.

She didn't know for sure. She had never lost a best friend and she didn't want to start. 

"So," Xander asked hesitantly, keeping his distance from her so that if she chose, he would be able to catch her eye. "Do you have to…slay…him now?" He was unsure of how to word the question and even more unsure if he wanted an answer. He couldn't have imagined himself ever in this situation – waiting in a hospital at midnight to find out the fate of one of his best friends who had been attacked by a monster that up until yesterday had only existed on the big screen in cheesy blood bath flicks. He didn't even want to have to picture his girl…Buffy….picture Buffy having to kill him. Having to kill a vampire that was wearing the body of one of her best friends.

"No," Buffy shook her head a little with a hoarse whisper. "I don't think so…I think she just fed off of him."

"Is that how it works?" Xander hated the tone his voice took when he asked that question and he reminded himself to change his tone for her benefit. "Don't they bite you and you become one of them?"

She shook her head again and raised her head. Her chin was shaking and her eyes were red and puffy. All Xander wanted to do was pull her into his arms and make it better; but after tonight he doubted if he could really do that. He didn't think that he could save her from this anymore, maybe all he could do was stay, and he hated that. He couldn't stand up for her and swoop in to save the day like he wanted to. He couldn't even, for all his efforts, save her from the pain that was etched in her face; but he could fight. If he couldn't take her away from it he would fight by her side…

"They have to feed from you," Buffy answered slowly, almost ashamed of her knowledge, "but then you have to feed from them…you have to drink their blood too for it to work."

Xander's throat went dry – this was real. Really real. "Are you sure that didn't happen?" his voice shook.

"No," Buffy answered truthfully. "But he was conscious when I picked him up…I think he was the same – alive…I hope."

Xander nodded and swallowed, "More hugs?" he asked hesitantly as he watched her shiver a little in front of him. He was asking just as much for him though as well. As much as he was broken about not knowing if Jesse would pull through, he couldn't help but be glad that it wasn't her that was hurt – and that made him hate himself even more. How could he choose between his friends like he was? 

"Yeah," she answered quickly and took the half step that allowed Xander to be able to pull her into his arms. Buffy unwrapped her arms from around herself and put them around his waist as his went around her shoulders, his head resting on top of her head and she listened to him take a deep breath. 

She was leaning against his solid form, feeling the soft cloth of his sweatshirt against her cheek, and suddenly nothing mattered. She liked that. "Tell me that it's going to be alright." She whispered into him.

She sounded so small to him right then…so vulnerable and he hugged her tighter. Xander brought his hand up and stroked it over the lose hair of her disheveled and forgotten ponytail. "It's all going to be alright," he told her dutifully.

"Promise?"

"Yeah," he agreed, "Of course. And," he waited a minute before continuing, "I'll do a damn better job than any old mystery men…"

Buffy chuckled against him this time, her eyes hidden from his. "I don't doubt that."

Xander pulled his head back and craned his neck down to try to see her eyes, but she didn't let him. He was mostly glad that he was succeeding in lightening the mood; maybe that was one thing he could still offer her if he couldn't keep his word of sparing her the life of the Slayer. "And who is he?" he asked next, trying to keep his voice neutral and light.

Buffy almost felt guilty that she was even having to talk about _this now. Relationships should be the furthest thing from important…and she was still pissed that he had went to Giles and gotten he a new asshole ripped… "Does it matter right now?" she asked not broaching her second issue with him. She new that he wouldn't see anything wrong with what he had done, and didn't feel like arguing right then about why he was supposed to keep her secret identity a secret._

"Just curious," Xander shrugged and kept his arms around her, his mind focused on mining out her feelings for the darkly dressed man in the lobby. He was quiet for a moment and she thought he was going to drop it, like he should, but… "I was just wondering where you made such an old…friend. That's all…"

"He followed me," Buffy said simply and felt Xander tense against her.

He turned and looked back at the direction of the chairs. "He followed you?"

She felt him move to release her and chose to tighten her grip on him to keep her from doing so. "He said he wants to help. He did."

Xander forced himself to relax as Buffy didn't seem to be agitated at the situation at all. "As long as he doesn't…"

"I can take care of myself, you know." She lifted her head and gave him a small grin before resting her head back in its place. "It's like you don't trust me, or something."

He shook his head even thought she wasn't looking at him. "That's not true. I trust you. I don't trust _anybody else with you."_

"And you don't like other guys around me." She added meeting his eyes and holding them this time. Buffy already knew the answer, but she was daring him to deny it.

"I especially don't like that." Xander admitted with a grin.

"Because you're jealous?"

"Because I'm jealous."

Buffy didn't say anything as she put her head back down and sighed into his shirt. 

"Do I have reason to be?" Xander asked the confusion at her lack of response evident in his voice. He was as afraid of the answer to that as he was of demons walking around in the night, it seemed, and he hoped that she couldn't feel his heart beating out of control in his chest. His fear at Jesse's situation was momentarily shadowed at the prospect of her answer because he knew guys…he was one. Xander knew exactly what the man in the lobby wanted…that Angel guy. He wanted his Buffy…Xander could guarantee that he was ready for the answer if Buffy wanted Angel too; and he could admit that if she did want that other man, he would know why. He had known Buffy all his life, and would never call her shallow because he knew who she was beyond a shadow of a doubt…but he would admit that she was highly visual when it came to impressions – and Angel, out there, wasn't hard on the eyes.

"No," she answered simply. She felt Xander relax again and she smiled a little. In reality Xander should know that he had no reason to be jealous, if for no other reason than they were best friends and she would do anything, literally, to avoid hurting him. But, Buffy admitted and accepted for herself more than him, he didn't have to be jealous because Angel was a vampire. She swallowed and reminded herself I have to kill him. I have to kill him The only problem was that she had already had plenty of opportunities…ones she had let slide by and she didn't know why…she didn't know when…and, most disturbingly, she didn't know if she even wanted to. She could never say any of that to Xander though, not anymore…

"Buffy."

Her name was called in just above a whisper and she turned to face where it had come from. She found herself looking at a worried looking Angel who had appeared silently by their side, and Xander jumped at his presence, tightening his hold on her further.

"Jeez, man," Xander breathed out, "Get a bell or something…"

Angel ignored him and instead spoke to Buffy. "You need to call Jesse's parents," he said, his expression unchanging and his tone held low and steady.

Buffy's heart leapt into her throat and she finally pulled away from Xander to face the vampire. She missed Angel's fixed glare on her friend. "Why? I can't call. My parents'll…"

"Then leave and say I brought him in." Angel interrupted, "I need his ID and… the hospital needs to call his parents…"

"Is he alright?" Xander spoke up, his voice deeper than usual and Buffy glanced at him out of the corner of her eye.

Angel gave no qualms, "No."

~*~*~*~

"I thought I told you to bring me the sacrifices." The male boomed as he faced Darla, "Not go out for a late night snack. We need them for the Harvest if we want to raise him."

She looked at the ground, "I was only going to take a little, but…"

"But what?!"

"He was so pure…fresh…I…I was going to make him a minion," she stuttered out. "Since you lost about twenty of our other ones," she added with a superior smirk. "We can't take over the town with an army of four."

"She's right," the young boy sitting on the rocks in the corner of the cavernous dimly lit room put in. "We can't. We need more."

"I know," the man turned to glare at the child. "But those were extenuating circumstances, as you well know. The Slayer…"

"Was there tonight." Darla spoke up. "She had help, too. Angel…"

The name drew the larger demon's attention, "Angelus?" 

"Yes," Darla pouted, unable to believe the situation herself. Angel…Angelus was hers…he was the baddest of the bad…and now…

Now he was the goddamned Slayer's darling little lap dog; hopelessly trailing after that little bitch.

His mouth turned into a toothy grin. "Angelus helping the Slayer…interesting."

"Luke," Darla spoke up as the larger vampire seemed to have been consumed by his thoughts. "She's strong, and he's stronger. If they're working together…"

"Then they don't," he said simply.

"How do you purpose that?" the little boy asked in a snotty tone. "Are you going to send him a letter and ask him to stay out of it?"

Luke sighed, "I can face the Slayer. She's weak…"

"And she had a friend," Darla spoke up again, remembering the encounter. "She was worried about him…"

"Friends," Luke laughed out loud, he knew all about the circumstances and social life that this Slayer's Watcher tolerated. "This victory will be sweet and the easiest yet. A Slayer with friends has great weakness… a reason besides the salvation of the world to die."

"And a Slayer with a souled vampire who will die fighting for her?" the little boy spoke again, trying to get his minions back on task. If they wanted to raise The Master vampire and take over the Hellmouth, they didn't have time to waste pondering the social life of a teenage girl – he seemed to be the only one who recognized that fact.

Both Darla and Luke turned to face him. "And Angel," Luke reiterated, his lips curling up in a devious grin as he said the do-gooders name in a prissy tone. "We take him out of the equation," Luke added in a harsher voice.

 He hated the little boy with a passion. If he weren't necessary in the overall plan to take the Slayer's life and open the gates of Hell he would rip his throat out and eat his heart where he sat. The little brat he growled to himself He's not even a full fledged vampire. Immortal half-breed twit.

"How do you purpose we do that?" the child spoke, not an ounce of fear present in his voice.

"Well," Luke matched the condescending tone he was met with. "He has a soul that keeps him on the side of the light. We take it from him and make him that of the dark…where he belongs."

"Again," the boy smirked, "How do we do that."

"I believe the incantation mentioned a moment of true happiness will take it away…"

"How…"

"The Slayer." Luke cut in a harsh voice before he could be asked the same question again. "The Slayer who he had been following for years…who he has been obsessed with…"

"Who he loves." Darla said in a low voice.

"Exactly," Luke turned and smiled at her. He raised his hand and caressed the side of her face slowly, pushing a loose tendril of hair behind her ear. "I can see why you are his favorite." He turned to face the opposite wall and began pacing as he spoke. "We deliver him the Slayer and relieve him of his soul…we take Angelus for our own…"

"Deliver the Slayer how?" the boy asked again. "We're full of half formulated plans that are easier said than done."

"She has friends," Luke explained. "She has the boy from tonight," he nodded to Darla. "And she has the boy that she loves," he grinned evilly. "We take them, we break her." Luke whirled around to face the other occupants of the room. "We'll leave her weak and having to fight and kill her own friends with only our dear Angel to turn to. She'll trust him and she'll…"

"You think that she'll give him what he needs to ditch his soul?" Darla smirked in disbelief. "She hates him. I could see it clearly tonight. Plus, we don't even know what she'd have to do."

"Love him back." Luke whispered. "All she'd have to do is love him back; and the line between love and hate is so easily clouded." Luke turned again and started towards the exit of the room, "And before you ask how we're going to make that happen," he said snidely to the boy, who sneered in response, "I already have it worked out."

"And just what do you purpose?" he asked as he slid down off his rocky perch and approached the pool of blood in the center of the room. That was the key to the universe as far as the circles of Hell were concerned; and soon all the dark answers would be provided through it. He climbed up between the tall candle holders that framed the pool and looked down into the clear rippling red liquid it held before glancing over his shoulder a the older vampire when he answered.

"We're going to turn the boys she loves," he said confidently, "We're going to take her friends." He spit out the last word.

Darla offered a crooked smile that nobody saw before turning her gaze to the floor to hide her jubilation. For once she was one step ahead of the game.

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The End Part 11


	12. Before the Fall of Rome Part 12

Title: Before the Fall of Rome (12/?)

Author: Brooke 

Email: yabbadabbadome13@yahoo.com 

Rating: R

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. I wished I owned the two Xanders' from "The Replacement" though. Buffy and friends are owned by Joss, Mutant Enemy, 20th Century Fox, The UPN and whoever else has rights to the show. 

Summary: You remember all that crap that started post-puberty…yeah, it's great isn't it. It was when life started

Distribution: I don't know why anybody would want this, but if somebody does…sure. 

Feedback: Definitely!! Tell me if it sucked or if you liked it. Whatever. Just write back!

Authors Note: Takes place in an AU season 1 where Buffy and Xander are best friends and Willow is the new girl as Sunnydale High. It is the beginning of their sophomore year and, as 15 and 16 year olds, hormones and feelings are taking center stage.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"It shouldn't be so sunny," Buffy commented offhandedly to no one in particular, even though she was flanked on both sides by Xander and Willow. They didn't answer, just kept their squinted eyes focused out across the quad as they all watched the students – their classmates, wander aimlessly about their business. 

Xander swallowed at Buffy's tone, not sure of what to say. She had been speaking random thoughts for a while now…if just to get everything out in the open, he guessed, he wasn't really sure. He agreed with her though, he did quiet frequently, but specifically, about the brightness of the afternoon, he agreed. It was way too bright to be the day after…

"I'm gonna go grab a coke before class," Willow spoke up and then stood slowly. Xander noticed Buffy's small nod of acknowledgment, despite the fact that she never turned to look at the other girl, and then he noticed the blank look in Willow's eyes as she gathered her things slowly and headed back inside. 

It seemed to him that everything was in slow motion now…everything methodical…nothing done in fun or jest. Even in the situations that he could make a joke, or Buffy would laugh, or Willow would blush redder than her hair – nothing happened.

In all honesty, he couldn't really expect it to be any different. Yesterday he was at one of his best friend's funeral…he had to watch Jesse be buried mere hours before – of course things wouldn't be the same. And to top it off, there was nothing he could do about it – nothing to say.

The whole week prior had gone by in a flash; all Xander could really remember was driving Buffy home after they had left Angel in the hospital. She had the same vacant look in her eyes that she had now, dull and haunted, red from tears that he knew she shed, but wouldn't let him see. Her jaw always seemed to be set in stone now, too, she was always determined. She had good reason to be, Xander knew, because it had been a vampire that had killed her best friend…a vampire that had gotten away, and he knew that she was going to find it.

They were going to find it.

Xander sighed and sat up, unable to take the silence anymore – Jesse hated silence, and therefore, to him it was almost disrespectful to his memory to let life fall into it. "You wanna hang out tonight?" he asked quietly, leaning into Buffy's shoulder in a quietly playful manor. Ever since she had gotten out of his car that night they hadn't really been alone, except for school; a fact that could, for the most part, be attributed to the fact that all their parents were wigged at the close proximity of the, hospital named "gang violence fatality", and the fact that Xander just couldn't bring himself to do much of anything.

He had kept up with school just as Buffy and Willow had, but that had been about it for the past week. He had skipped swim practices in favor of sleeping and had spent more time alone than he ever thought he would…but then again, outside of class, Buffy had been scarce, as well, and Willow…she was… she was taking the place of somebody who had been there since the beginning, and she was having a hard time with that so she did what the Romans were doing – she kept to herself.

Buffy's brow furrowed as if he had shaken her from a deep thought before she arrived at an answer. Xander always knew that when she hesitated before speaking she was trying to come up with a decent excuse to say 'no'. "I should train after practice," she said in a low voice. "I haven't been stellar in either lately."

"Yeah," Xander sighed, "I need to get back into it too…"

"That's what's supposed to happen, right?" Buffy interrupted out of the blue. "People always die – you just have to keep living. Jesse died, but we're still here." She finished staring off into space again, looking just beyond all the matriculating students…the lucky ones who were wasting their day.

"Yeah," Xander agreed again. "Keep living…but," he paused and swallowed. His eyes were stinging and not for the first time since Jesse had died. He had been inconsolable at points over the last week, crying into his mother's shoulder in the privacy of his room countless times at just the simple thought of Jesse not being there anymore. Death had never seemed so real to him, as it did right now. He hated that thinking about it would make him cry again, especially in front of anybody…in front of Buffy when she seemed to be wearing a constant façade of strength. "It's hard." He felt a tear roll down his cheek and he turned away from her quickly so that she couldn't see it.

Buffy heard the hitch in his voice and turned to face him only to find herself looking at the back of his head. She didn't really know what to do, "I'm going to patrol later." She spoke sternly, ignoring the fact that she knew Xander was crying. "I'm going to find the one that…I'm going to kill her."

She watched the back of his head nod and heard a sniffled grunt of agreement. "And you're going to help," she told him quietly. 

Xander turned to face his friend with now red eyes, his face a mask of confusion as he waited for her to continue. 

Buffy looked down at her hands before she spoke, "We don't deal well, Xan," she started out with a labored giggle.

"That's a given." He answered back.

She raised her eyes and smiled at him, "Yeah. We lose one and separate ourselves from who's left…" Buffy hesitated, disturbed by her own sentence. "But," she started again with a nervous swallow, "I'm not going to lose anyone else…not to this town and what's in it. I'm not going to bury more of my friends. I don't really have that many…"

"What are you saying?" Xander asked his mouth quirking into a grin. Was she offering…

"You…we…"

"Us…" Xander added as if on cue.

Buffy focused on her hands again, "I need to train more, so I don't have a lot of free time…and…and I want to make sure you're safe…you and Willow," she added, glancing up to meet his gaze briefly. "I thought that, if you don't tell Giles, you could patrol with me…I could teach you the fighting stuff, so you'd have that for defense…and then you could go out with me…on patrol, just till we find the bitch that killed him."

Xander almost flinched at the venom in her voice. He wasn't used to the vengeful Buffy that he had been introduced to about a week ago, and to tell the truth it was halfway scary. He knew that Buffy could be as stubborn an ox when she set her mind to something, and it wasn't that he didn't back he crusade whole-heartedly, but she was fixated on it… and the last thing he wanted was to lose her to this. He was sure that Jesse would agree with him on that too. "If that's what you think you need to do," he said with a shrug.

Buffy cast him a skeptical look and her mouth cracked into a grin. "Oh please, Xander," she shook her head, "You've been begging me to let you come out with me."

Xander shook his head, "No – no I haven't…I've been begging you to _go out with __me."_

"Same diff, isn't it?" Buffy shrugged dismissively. "The point is that I want you to be able to defend yourself…"

"So this has nothing to do with spending more time with me…you know…" he trialed off and gestured between the two of them. "You know…" he reiterated again when Buffy maintained her vacant stare.

Her brow furrowed at her friends confusing hand gestures, "I don't want you to die." Buffy stated that fact clearly and watched as Xander's gaze dropped to his knees.

"Right," he nodded, sounding almost disappointed. "You don't want me to die. And here I was thinking you might want to, oh I don't know; finally talk about what happened…"

"Jesse died Xander." Buffy stated defensively.

"I know!" he snapped and then collected himself. "I know, and I'm so sorry about that…I'm so sorry, but you know what?"

"What?" Buffy asked quickly, knowing tat she would have gotten an answer regardless of if she had chosen to speak.

Xander looked ahead briefly and squinted against the sunlight before taking a deep breath and closing his eyes. "I wanted to go to you about it – about how it was tearing me up inside. And I thought you would come to me about the same thing; but you didn't."

"Well sorry if I've been focused on my retaliatory…"

"Whatever." Xander cut her off and ignored her narrowed eyes. "It's more than that…it's…it's everything since…"

Buffy huffed out a loud breath and stood up, flinging her bag over her shoulder at the same time. "Willow was right," she said, "I need caffeine before Bio."

"This is just what I'm talking about!" Xander said loudly as he stood up and followed her, now talking to her back as Buffy made a hasty retreat inside the school. "You don't ever talk about anything, but that doesn't change the fact that things happened, Buffy."

Buffy reached into her purse and pulled out a dollar bill, "Should I get a diet Coke or a Sprite?" she contemplated out loud. "They say that clear sodas are better for you."

"Sprite is caffeine free." Xander told her shaking his head. "But things between us specifically changed," he got back on topic, "It should have brought us closer together…"

"You're right. Diet Coke it is." Buffy pushed the button and retrieved her soda. She wished he would stop talking about what he was obviously trying to broach…in front of the whole student body it seemed. Not only was she not ready to discuss all the kissage with him, but Buffy was quiet sure that this was not the appropriate time to be having the conversation either. There had to be some sort of time limit before you pushed the memory of your best friend's murder out of your mind in order to focus on hormonal conflicts.  But Xander was till talking behind her as she walked down the hall towards their homeroom. All Buffy could do was hope that Willow would be sitting there so that he was forced to shut the hell up.

Xander's hand shot out and grabbed her forearm before she was home free and able to walk into the class room. "Buffy," he sighed as if he were collecting his thoughts. "I know the timing sucks, I really do," he pleaded as he looked in her eyes, searching the clear blue orbs for some sign as to how to proceed in this matter, but she was giving him nothing. "I know that we just lost somebody who was – will always be a huge part of our lives – but I'm still here…and so are you." Xander glanced down at his hand on her arm and Buffy followed his gaze. He didn't let go despite the fact that he knew that she could probably rip it off if she so chose. "But that night…with us…it was great Buff." 

She just watched him. Buffy couldn't deny that kissing Xander in real life that night was better than she had hyped it up in her mind to be. She couldn't even deny that she hadn't thought about doing it again, despite the circumstances of the last week – that was just what made her feel like the scum of the earth…she hadn't spent all her time trying to figure our how to make the vampire pay for what she had done. She had spent a lot of the last week just wanting to cry on Xander's shoulder…just wanting to be as close to him as humanly possible, because if what had happened had taught her anything, it was that everything was unpredictable and the people closet to you would be the first that were ripped away.

"Just let me train you…"

"No!" Xander shook his head and let his hand loosen its grip. "I mean, yeah – train me and whatever, but don't make that about this. This," he gestured between the two of them, "has nothing to do with the Slayer."

"Shhh!!!" Buffy's eyes darted around the hall. "You do realize that it's not supposed to be public knowledge right?"

"It's not about the Slayer," Xander said again more quietly. "It's about you and me…"

"As long as it's about me, now Xander, it'll be about the Slayer." Buffy said sadly and looked down at the hall floor as the first bell rang in the background.

"No," Xander denied while craning his neck to catch her eyes. He offered her a grin when she caught what he was trying to do and raised her gaze to his, "It's about you, Buffy. Not the Slayer, cuz those are two different things…believe me, I know. I haven't been thinking about kissing the Slayer all week long."

Buffy laughed slightly, "And you don't think it's at all weird that we are best friends since, like, forever…"

"A little," Xander admitted with a shrug. "But I got over it pretty quickly…well partially over it."

"Over it enough to 'not be able to stop thinking about it'?" Buffy asked in a disbelieving tone.

"Well, yeah…" Xander tried to sound confident.

"And over it enough to fell completely comfortable telling me about it?"

Xander sighed, "Like I said, I can adapt easily…and I can tell you anything. You are my best friend…"

"All week huh?" Buffy's tone suddenly became curious as she glanced into the class room. If they both had been thinking about it, what was the harm really? If she just gave in this one time, she would really not have to feel like such an insensitive bitch later. She noticed Willow first – well, she was only really looking for Willow in the first place; she was the only one who any of this would matter to anyway.

Buffy groaned and watched as Scott crossed the room and slid into the seat next to the red head. She watched as her friend nodded sadly but the shrugged indifferently. Scott must have asked where she was – the last thing, Buffy knew, Willow wanted to be asked following a question that was obviously about Jesse. That ass munch…

Takes one to know one. She was an ass munch…

Her eyes darted back up to Xander's long enough to see him nod despite the fact that he was trying to follow her gaze into the classroom. "Add that onto everything else," he chose not to voice the previous events, "and I'm surprised that I haven't wondered into oncoming traffic."

"It's been on my forefront too." Buffy nodded, and then looked down. She was forced to take a step closer to him as more students filed into the room they were still standing in front of. She watched Xander's eyes dull briefly and could just imagine the bazillion boob jokes that flashed through his mind at her mention of 'her forefront'. "Does that make me a bad person?" she asked despite herself.

Xander refocused and grasped her right hand in his. "No…never." He denied. "It makes you human…"

"Is it human if I want to blow off homeroom…" she trailed off and gestured with her head down the hall while applying a slight pressure to his hand. "Just so I don't have to keep dealing with it…" her voice was low at the end of her sentence.

Xander began to walk down the hall, not releasing her hand and leading her discreetly away from the room, "Just tell me where you want to go," he said slightly over his shoulder as he turned the corner. "Tell me where you want to not deal for a little while, and I'll wait with you."

Buffy smiled at the back of his head and reached up to grasp his hand that held hers with her other one, stilling his path. Xander stopped and looked around the empty hall. "We shouldn't wait here," he said his eyes focused on the Principal's office nervously. The last thing he needed to top off all his skipped practice was to be banned from the meets for skipping class. And he knew for a fact that Buffy's dad wouldn't be thrilled if he got another call about her absence from school, when she had so obviously left the house that morning.

Buffy nodded and looked around the hall to make sure they were alone before she took a step back, not letting him go so that he stepped with her. "In here," she whispered and reached behind her with her freehand, opening the door to the broom closet behind them. 

All Xander could do was offer her a surprised grin as Buffy disappeared into the small room. Xander licked his lips and scanned the length of the hall one more time before grinning to himself and following her inside. Oh, how I do love my best friend he thought as he shrugged his backpack to the floor and shut the door quietly behind himself.

~*~*~

He rolled his neck around slowly and felt it crack under the pressure. "That's the stuff," he groaned in relief.

Then his brow furrowed. What the… The last thing he remembered was Buffy…

He laughed to himself. She would be the last thing he remembered. That was his stupid luck that his last conscious thought would be of his best friend's pretty much girlfriend, and not the completely hot chick that he had reeled in all by himself…

He wondered if he had gotten her number before he had… he had absolutely no clue, really. He remembered walking in an alley with the girl – Darla. The he remembered falling, and then Buffy swooped in like Batman and picked him up…

But I feel fine. he settled, I feel better than fine. Hw finally opened his eyes, only to find himself in complete darkness. And creeped out… Well, he thought he should be creeped out…he thought he should be screaming and perhaps peeing a little, but he wasn't. He was oddly calm…and it felt great. He felt different.

He sat up and held his arms out in front of himself. "I'm all here," he mumbled to himself after a brief examination. "Now where is here?" he looked around the room. It was dark, only lit by candles. And he could hear the drip of water hitting already formed puddles. He could hear slight scurrying footsteps and smell the dampness that permeated the area…

Everything was so clear…

He could hear a heart beat.

"Jesse," a familiar voice beckoned from behind him. 

"Darla," he turned with a grin to watch her walking up slowly behind him. He concentrated on the calm footsteps in contrast to the young girl who she was dragging with her. He felt a tingling surge go through him, and it felt almost like he had to sneeze, but nothing came out. Darla thrust the girl towards him and she struggled through the ropes that bound her hand together as she stumbled to the ground.

Jesse involuntarily licked his lips and brought his hands up to his face. It was still tingling under his fingertips as he slid them along…ridges? "What' the matter with my face?" he asked, fighting to push down an insatiable hunger that was rising more and more as he watched the girl struggle in front of him…focused on the fear in her eyes…listened to her pleading whimpers as she couldn't get free.

Darla just grinned at him as she strolled up to where he sat on the ground. "Eat," she ordered, kicking the girl closer to him. "I'll explain everything childe."

Jesse was still mildly confused but glanced down at the girl. She couldn't have been more than fourteen, herself, but he could smell fear. It made him growl in anticipation. He ran his tongue over his teeth, feeling the drastically sharper canines in front and he lunged at her, laughing against her throat at her muffled scream.

~*~*~*~

Willow had walked by the library on her way to Biology to check to see if Buffy and Xander were in there. She had no idea why, but whenever she couldn't find Buffy, the first place she had learned to look was in the library. 

She had never figured Buffy for much of a reader, based totally on the fact that Willow had taken two of every English pop quiz since the first week of school in order to spare her friend, so she had no idea why she chose to hang out there.

And she knew that Xander usually went with her because, well, he was Xander and she was Buffy. He'd follow her into a leper colony. But they weren't in there. And the librarian, who seemed to know who she was told her that he hadn't seen her, but then asked  that if she did find Buffy to ask her to see him – which had only served to wig Willow out more.

Was Buffy hanging out with the librarian for fun? Willow asked herself, but was happy that her excursion to the long way to the lab had at least gotten her away from Buffy's ex. She didn't know how many times she could tell Scott that she didn't know where the other girl was. She almost wanted to tell him that she couldn't find Xander either just to watch his head explode.

Willow chuckled to herself as she tried to focus on Mr. Gregory's bio lecture about fungus, but as she glanced to the normally occupied seats around her, all she was reminded of was that both Buffy and Xander were in school today – they both had just skipped home room and now first period.

Percy, she tried to force the glum mood out of her mind at the possibility of Xander spending time alone with Buffy with thoughts of the other boy. If he weren't a senior, he'd be there to take her mind off of it…but that wasn't the case. And  she was sitting in the lab without the company of her group… Well, she sighed internally, Xan's gonna want notes.

~*~*~

Xander's hands just kept skimming over her hips. Up and down. Not even back and forth. He was still so unsure of what exactly to do with them. His tongue, on the other hand, was completely comfortable doing what it was doing. 

Buffy moaned into his mouth, a low vibration that passed into his mouth just as she pushed her hips against his and pushed him into the row of shelves opposite them – changing their positions while keeping her arms around his neck. She titled her head down in a vain attempt to catch her breath, but Xander continued his onslaught. He pushed his mouth back against hers and Buffy was forced willingly back into the kiss.

Her left hand left it's grip on the back of his neck and gripped the wooden shelf behind his head to catch their balance when Xander twisted their positions and turned his back away from where she had him pinned. 

He knew that it was ironic, but the janitor was definitely going to have to clean up the broom closet when they left. That line of thought left his head quickly though when he felt Buffy's hands slip form behind him and slide down the front of his shirt.

Buffy slide her lips over his and then bit at his mouth; pulling away while teasing his tongue with hers while keeping her eyes downcast. She rested her palms on his stomach, contemplating her next move, before deciding that it was probably best not to think about it. She couldn't be as shy as he was being with her, or the most they'd do on their honeymoon would be holding hands.

She leaned up into his mouth and started the fevered kiss again as she moved her hands down to Xander's waist and the pushed them up and under his t-shirt. Xander jumped at the contact of her hands on his bare skin but it only served to make himself kiss her harder. He figured if he didn't he'd have to think about what he should be doing more.

Trying to match her boldness, Xander pushed Buffy back into the brick wall and slid his hands further down her back. He set himself mentally and kept moving his left hand down until… 

Alright Xander tried to maintain his breathing as his hand groped at Buffy's rear. I can do this…I can do this. I'm touching her butt… He was becoming more and more aware of a certain part of his anatomy that was more than willing to stand up and join in his mental 'Happy Dance', but, much to his disbelief, he was more nervous about touching her with his hands than her knowing when she had him sporting wood.

Xander groaned into her mouth when he felt her lick the roof of his mouth with a rough swipe on her tongue and scrape her fingernails over his nipples at the same time. "Buff…" he rasped out and broke the kiss, breathing hard.

"Hmmm?" she asked distractedly, still feeling his chest as her own rose and fell against his stomach. What could he possible have to say…

"I…" Xander shook his head to clear it and took another deep breath.

Buffy interrupted him with another kiss. "No talk now," she nibbled against his lips. "Talk when where not on class time." She surprised him by reaching behind them and grasping the wrist of the hand that was positioned on her ass, applying gentle pressure as she glided it up her side.

Making out always had a natural progression to Buffy; one that Scott had taught her. It just seemed that Xander needed more prompting that her ex did, so it was her job to help…

Xander jerked his hand out of Buffy's grasp when she slid it up to her breast, stopping just below and leaving him to take over from there. "Buffy!!" he pulled away shocked and took a step back, causing her hands to slip form under his shirt . Just when Xander thought he had everything under control, she had to go and override his system again. He would never admit it, especially not with his status in the school, but he had never been to…he had never actually and with purpose touched…

"It's a boob Xander, not plutonium." Buffy exasperated.

Obviously Buffy had. Xander realized as he watched her try to smile thought the mutual nervousness. Fuckin Scott… "I know…" he cut his eyes away from her and jammed his hands into his pockets. "It's just…You…You're…"

She ignored his incoherent ramble and stepped towards him again, taking his hand back in hers. "Breathe Xander," she cautioned warmly and raised his hand to her chest. He watched her with wide eyes, but was forced back into action as Buffy started kissing him again.

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The End Part 11


	13. Before the Fall of Rome Part 13

Title: Before the Fall of Rome (13/?)

Author: Brooke 

Email: yabbadabbadome13@yahoo.com 

Rating: R

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. I wished I owned the two Xanders' from "The Replacement" though. Buffy and friends are owned by Joss, Mutant Enemy, 20th Century Fox, The UPN and whoever else has rights to the show. 

Summary: You remember all that crap that started post-puberty…yeah, it's great isn't it. It was when life started

Distribution: I don't know why anybody would want this, but if somebody does…sure. 

Feedback: Definitely!! Tell me if it sucked or if you liked it. Whatever. Just write back!

Authors Note: Takes place in an AU season 1 where Buffy and Xander are best friends and Willow is the new girl as Sunnydale High. It is the beginning of their sophomore year and, as 15 and 16 year olds, hormones and feelings are taking center stage.

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Buffy wasn't going to patrol tonight – well, that was what she had told Giles after her training session that afternoon, and to her surprise he had agreed. He seemed to be very cautious of pushing her too hard that afternoon, and even his criticisms sounded more friendly and concerned than usual. Buffy didn't necessarily like the non-judgmentally anti-quippy Giles, but she was more than a little grateful that he saw fit when to let up on her. He had agreed that she should take a few more days off from formal patrol, just to make sure that she was in top form when she finally did get back out.

She did feel a little bad though that the reason that he thought that she wasn't dealing was that he had a conversation with Willow in the cafeteria about her whereabouts during the first period time slot, and Willow said that she hadn't seen her. When Giles had questioned her about it, Buffy, being quick with the excuses, had come up with the Grievance Counselors office. 

Giles had accepted her excuse, no questions asked, and left Buffy feeling even more like a callous bitch at the fact that she had spent the better part of forty-five minutes making out and groping Xander in a broom closet, of all skanky places. She felt that she owed it to everybody to throw her revenge into full gear and get the information that she needed tonight. 

She would slay for Giles, and find out where the vampire who killed Jesse was for the benefit of not only her piece of mind, but also for his memory. She owed him that, at least, for her selfishness – no matter what Xander said to counter that belief.

So Buffy had climbed out of her window right after dinner and began her impromptu patrol with the hope that it would be a quick one. Ever since…her parents had insisted on spending more time with both her and her sister, and she knew that if she didn't have a lot of free vampire hunting time before, it was going to be cut down to figurative seconds now. Luckily she had sensed that she had her audience right away, and not long after that she had drawn the attention of a hungry twenty-something vampire in the first cemetery she walked into.

She needed to know where the vampire that had taken her best friend away was, and she knew that Angel could tell her. That reject Prince of Darkness knew the bitch that was responsible for what had happened and as soon as he told her what she needed to know he'd pay too. 

Her plan to draw Angel out was going perfectly. Buffy congratulated herself as she turned her body so that the vampire she was fighting punch deflected off of her arm before hitting her in the side of the ribs. She was glad that Xander had a late practice and that they were starting their training the next day because she was sure that he wouldn't support her plan at all – and not just the 'getting the shit beat out of her' part, but the 'I have to talk to Angel' aspect as well. 

But thoughts of Xander had to be pushed to the back of her mind because this clown had no idea who he was dealing with obviously, Buffy thought as she feigned horror at the demon's arrogant smirk. He thought she was fighting out of terror, the pure desire to stay alive and get away. Buffy laughed to herself and let herself take a hit to the ribs and she fell to the ground holding her stomach. She fought off a real wince when she hit the grass Maybe that wasn't the best idea…

"Please," she pleaded in her best helpless voice, "please don't hurt me…" Buffy stayed on the ground and pushed herself back from the advancing vampire.

He just cricked his neck and licked his lips. "Please," he mimicked, "Let me go, please… Beg some more." He finished and hauled her off the ground by her forearm.

Where the hell is he?! Buffy's mind screamed as she was lifted in the air, now being held by her throat. She clamped her hands around the vampire's wrist while her feet dangled in the air. Her fake fight was getting a little out of hand. It almost made her wish that Angel had given her his cell pager number or something; at least that way she wouldn't have to play bait when she needed him… INFORMATION from him. Buffy wouldn't ever let herself need that defunct demon.

The vampire she was fighting laughed up at her, "Didn't your parents ever tell you not to go out after dark?" 

Buffy kicked out, trying to seem as desperate as possible, her foot connecting solidly with her opponent's groin. They both hit the ground at the same time and Buffy rolled to her knees to catch her breath. She really wanted to kill this ass hole…both of them. "HELP!!!!" she yelled for effect. "SOMEBODY HELP ME!!!!" 

The vampire struggled to his feet through gritted teeth and pulled Buffy to her feet by her hair. 

OWWWWW!!! Son of a… she was cut off by a strong upper cut to her chin that sent her flying backwards through the air. She hadn't seen that coming and she was thankful for her Slayer strength because that would have knocked a normal girl unconscious – it would have knocked a normal Evander Holyfield unconscious. Buffy slammed down hard on her back, just missing slamming into a tombstone on the way and pushed herself up on her hands. She shook her head briefly to clear her vision and opened her eyes. She had to end this now before her 'plan' got her killed.

The vampire stepped up to her and she could see the disbelief in his eyes that she was sitting up, but that didn't erase the cruel grin on his face. Buffy took a deep breath and looked up at him, then lay back down and pushed herself into a backwards summersault and got to her feet. She fell into a fighting stance and discretely slid a stake out of the back of her shirt, ignoring the pain that shot up her back.

She eyed the vampire in front of her without revealing her weapon. "Never touch the hair," the told him calmly before she prepared to attack. But before she could move she watched his eyes widen with horror as his head turned down to his chest. He looked up at her again before he evaporated into a cloud of fine dust and blew away, leaving her face to face with…

Angel.

"Took you long enough," Buffy scoffed as she relaxed her fighting stance. "Jeez, you'd think if you're going to follow me all night, you'd at least have the common courtesy to come to my rescue…"

"Are you alright?" Angel asked and Buffy scowled at herself for picking up the warm concern he always displayed whenever he spoke to her. 

"No," Buffy pouted and rubbed her back with her left hand. "My ass hurts." She started walking away and hoped Angel took it as a sign to follow her. "Kiss it better," she added over her shoulder when she turned to see if he had gotten her silent hint.

Angel hung his head and chuckled to himself before starting after her. "I was just waiting to see how long you'd let yourself be beaten before you decided to fight back. You lasted about five minutes longer than I thought you would." When he finished he was walking side by side with her.

Buffy glanced up at him quickly but didn't let her surprise be given away. "So you knew?" she asked, "You knew that I wasn't fighting back and you just decided to watch?"

"Well, Home Improvement was a rerun and I needed some form of entertainment," he shrugged while keeping his eyes straight ahead. "Although, watching you was sort of just like TV. I mean, where else is a girl going to get in a fight and have her hair look better after she got her ass kicked?"

Buffy slit her eyes at him and ran a hand defensively through her disheveled hair, pushing some fallen strands behind her ears. "I really do hate you, you know that?" she told him.

"Then why all the suffering to get me out here?"

"You were already out here being all 'Psycho Stalker Man'…"

"You wanted me to come out." Angel said confidently, even though he knew she was right. Except he wouldn't refer to himself as psycho. He was slightly surprised that Buffy didn't seem to be angry with him anymore about his watching out for her – a fact that he'd be sure to mull over later, perhaps with some input from Whistler.

"I need information." Buffy said tightly, "It wasn't a social call."

Angel nodded, but doubted if she believed what she was telling him herself. He could see a purple bruise forming on her left eye, and knew that she had taken drastic measures to get his attention that night. If all she wanted was information, and she knew that he was there, all she would have had to do was call out and threaten him some more. She hadn't threatened him at all and it had been a good fifteen minutes of conversation.

"Ask away," he said calmly while putting his hands in his pockets.

Inside Buffy was fuming. He had let her get beat up and watched. He had taken her kill. He was all concerned for her wellbeing after the fact. And he was always so indifferent. All he ever did was piss her off, and the fact that he had the ability to do that meant that he was always in the back of her mind. Buffy hated him for that the most.

She set her face in stone and stopped walking. "Jesse," she said flatly and Angel turned to face her. 

"I'm sorry," he said and Buffy could tell that it was the truth. She swallowed and looked towards the ground. "I was hoping that he would make…"

"I just need to know where the one who did it is." Buffy cut him off and looked him in the eyes with a quiet sniffle. She refused to let the demon see her weak and broken.

Angel's heart leapt to his throat. "I can't tell you that…"

Buffy laughed humorlessly, "That's funny, cuz you're going to."

"I'm not going to send you…"

"If you don't tell me I can find out on my own. She's not going to get away with killing him," she stopped and took a deep breath. "For somebody so concerned with my safety…"

"That's why I can't tell you." Angel insisted. "I'm sorry about you friend, but I don't…"

"Don't make me have to kill you earlier than I planned." Buffy warned in a low voice.

"You go after Darla and I won't have to worry about you killing anything," Angel shot at her.

Darla. Buffy filed that name away. If he told her nothing else, she and Giles could at least research that name. 

"You're not ready to face her…" Angel continued. He had to make her see that while she was good, she was still no match for what this town really had to offer. She would have to get there soon enough, but she wasn't there yet, and he wouldn't let her go into a fight blind before she would be able to handle it.

"I'll decide what I'm ready for." She hissed, "You don't know me. All you know is that I lost one of my best friends, you have no idea what I'll do to keep that from happening again…"

"Die?" he asked loudly. "I'm not going to send you to die."

"I would if that's what it came down to," Buffy told him the absolute truth. "But I don't plan on it…"

"You go after Darla…she's not alone. She has the most powerful vampires in the western hemisphere here with her. Did you know that?" he spoke quickly. "Did you know that they could kill you three times before you hit the ground?"

"I'm the Slayer…"

"You're a child." Angel pointed at her. Buffy couldn't help the flinch that his tone elicited but she kept her otherwise defiant stance when he kept talking. "They're planning something…it's called the Harvest…it's coming and I seriously doubt you're ready for that, but I'm not sending you after her a minute sooner."

"I don't have a choice!" Buffy shouted back, her anger flaring inside. "And YOU are NOT my Watcher. YOU don't send me anywhere. Either you help me or you die…"

Angel laughed in her face, literally smiling full on. "I'm so tired of your empty threats. If you're going to kill me do it now. It'll be better than how I'm living….following you around and taking you abuse…"

"Abuse?! What the fuck are you talking about? Nobody told you to do whatever it is that you seem to have made it you're mission to do…"

"Toting that _boy everywhere!" he said next as Buffy looked on shocked. "He's going to get himself killed or worse off get you killed…"_

Buffy ran her hand over her face and into her hair. "Darla." She stated, cutting off his rant. Was he jealous of…? Why would this vampire be jealous of Xander? "The Harvest," she said next. "You've really been a lot of help, now I'll go and have my WATCHER and my BOYFRIEND help me research them." Buffy turned on her heel and started quickly out of the cemetery not quiet sure why she felt it necessary to refer to Xander as her boyfriend to get a rise out of Angel. She could feel him watching her walk away and was glad that he wasn't following her. Weather he knew it or not, Angel had given up more that the necessary amount of information for her to launch her own defensive; and she'd do it with or without him. She didn't need him.

~*~*~

"So let me get this straight," Jesse asked again to the two vampires standing in front of him. "You guys," he gestured between Darla and the one who she had told him was called Luke. "are going to open the gates of Hell."

Luke rolled his eyes and nodded, "Yes."

"Tomorrow night?" Jesse asked.

"Yes."

"And Buffy…" the young vampire trailed off.

"Is the Slayer," Luke filled in as prompted. "We have to kill her in order for the prophecy to come to pass."

"And by 'come to pass', you mean…"

"Happen!!!!" the young boys standing behind them yelled. "Why couldn't you get the other one?" he asked Darla next, "He seemed much smarter."

Jesse tilted his head and narrowed his eyes at the boy, "Believe me he just seems that way." He turned back to Darla, unable to keep his leer hidden, "And you vampireized me so get to her?"

Darla looked up at her childe through her eyelashes. "Exactly," she told him and slowly approached him. "We need you to help us destroy her."

Jesse seemed to think for a moment. He felt indestructible…all powerful…immortal. He didn't have a care in the world. Granted he knew he could take Buffy on, and she would probably be too distracted by the task of having to fight her best friend to offer proper competition, but he wasn't really sure that he wanted to. He didn't want to waste his first encounter with her trying to break her face open – he wanted her to suffer…he wanted to draw this out. Why should he be the grunt man of this rag tag team of misguided demons? If this was the only outfit in town, he figured he could easily form his own. He could take the town over all while his dear friend Buffy was busy crying on Xander's shoulder over what she had let happen to him.

"Why should I help you?" he smirked at Luke as he crossed his arms in front of him.

Luke hated these children – all so arrogant and incipient, and just plain stupid. He wondered what type of public education system this seemingly affluent town was pushing to have fostered generation after generation of spoiled simpletons. "You'll do what you're told boy," he sneered at him.

"By who?" Jesse questioned eyeing the larger man defiantly. "You?" he laughed. Luke lunched at him and Jesse jumped back as Darla caught him just in time. 

"You can't even kill a little girl." Jesse laughed out loud. "You said that you had an army of twenty seven and you guys all couldn't take down Buffy Summers. There are three of you…" he glanced at the little boy and corrected himself. "Sorry. Tow of you left, and you still can't beat little Buffy Anne. The girl is more clueless than Alicia Silverstone," he laughed again. "Her name is Buffy for Christ's sake."

"You would think it would be as simple as that," Darla spoke this time. "But she's stronger than you'd think…that's why we needed you…"

"To get Xander?" Jesse filled in the last part of the plan, his mouth turning into a manacle smirk. Killing Xander would fuck Buffy up royally – she'd need therapy for the rest of her life, if it lasted much longer after that anyway. Either way it would be fun to watch.

"So," Darla tilted her head at him again, "Are you game?"

"Lets go get us some more eats…and sacrifices," he added glancing to Luke, "And I'll think about it."

"You decide now!" the boy yelled, slamming his fist down onto the stone ledge he was seated on. Jesse noted how the rock crumbled underneath it, and held his hands up in surrender. 

"Alright, alright…I'm game for Operation destroy the Slayer." Jesse told them. "I'm just hungry again; that girl was so small…a little bit stringy too."

"Sorry," Darla said sincerely.

"Not a problem, Sweetheart." Jesse pretended to tip an imaginary hat at her. "Let's go build us up an army." His stomach growled as he headed out of the underground lair and he was able to her Darla walking behind him.

~*~*~

"I'm telling you Harris, whatever you did before practice today needs to be a regular thing. You were kicking all sorts of ass." Jeff said before taking a gulp of Coke while bobbing his head to the fast beats that were flooding the Bronze.

"Yeah, man. Whatever you're taking that got you back into the game, you need to share." Larry spoke through a mouthful of fries.

Xander just laughed and shook his head, "Sorry gentlemen, but my pep goes with me to the grave." He wished he could tell them that he had spent last period perfecting his 'second base' skills in the librarian's office while Giles had been in a faculty meeting. Spending several periods a day alone with Buffy really seemed to do wonders for his concentration…got his blood flowing and cleared his head and all that. His states of total physical relaxation had really put him on the edge of perfection during practice, and to celebrate, as well as to help him get his mind off the past week, his teammates had offered to hang at the Bronze with him. 

Xander wanted to keep feeling bad that he was having the day of his life, he really did; but it was getting harder and harder to do. Granted, things would never be the same again for a host of bad reasons – they would also never be the same for a helluva lot of fantastic reasons too. Like boobies his mind spoke up.

"Come on Harris. What's you're secret?" Larry asked as he nudged him with his shoulder.

"A full eight hours sleep." Xander sighed. "You gotta get eight."

Jeff chuckled, "That's what the cheerleading team said before the homecoming game."

"What?" Larry asked confused while wiping some ketchup off of his lip. "Why would they say that?"

"You gotta get eight…get ate." Jeff nodded along with his explanation. 

"Oh," Xander nodded. "I get it. Get ate…"

"Are you guys ten?" Jeff asked as he pushed himself away from the table. "That was a perfectly funny play on words and it went over both of you guy's heads… I swear, sometimes I wonder about you two…"

Larry and Xander just watched as the other boy pushed his way thru the crowded dance floor towards the bar before glancing at each other. "I got it the first time," Xander spoke up.

"Me too," Larry nodded as he shoved more fries into his mouth. "I got it."

Xander nodded to the music and scanned the dance floor. He hadn't been to the Bronze without his girls in forever, and not having his female components there was offering a completely different view of the club scene. He wished Buffy were there…he wondered, then if she would have gotten the joke. He hoped she wouldn't; but he'd have to tell it to her to make sure she was as clueless about the 'eight/ate' thing as he was. Xander knew he wouldn't be thinking about it at all if Buffy hadn't been all gun-ho with the groping and instructions all day long. 'Friend Buffy' was not nearly as bold as 'Kissable' Buffy, and that fact kinda scared him…in an 'it's really hot to be dominated' sort of way.

"Whatcha thinking about, Dude?" Larry asked, waving his hand in front of Xander's face to get his attention.

"Oh," Xander forced himself to pay attention to the present, despite his fond memories of the past. "Uh…nothing…nothing…"

Larry narrowed his eyes at him, "Yeah right man. Something's up…"

"Nothings up," Xander defended. "Everything is down as it gets."

Larry eyed him skeptically but started eating his fries again, "If it's any consolation," he spoke after a moment. "We all lose friends…I mean, in eighth grade Mike Solman got kidnapped – he was my best friend…"

Xander furrowed his brow and looked down at the table, he remembered when that happened. He wondered if it was because of vampires and not some homicidal pedophile…he wasn't sure which one of those options would be best. He wondered if Buffy was the Slayer back then too, or if it were some other girl who was letting the unsuspecting citizens of Sunnydale be ravished. "I'm sorry man." Xander said sincerely.

Larry smiled a little, "Don't be…I mean, yeah, and thanks, but I got over it a little. It still hurts sometimes, but I coped."

Xander nodded in response, unsure of what exactly to say to him. Larry had a habit of being completely oblivious one minute and being the pinnacle of maturity and wisdom the next. He had to cope…he was working overtime to cope as quickly as possible.

"You just gotta seize the day – Carpe Diem." Larry looked philosophically out at the dance floor at the gyrating teenagers. "If kids disappear and die…it can happen to anybody – just make sure that at the end if each day you've done everything that you wanted to, just in case there is no tomorrow."

Xander tossed him a lopsided grin. "That's a little morbid, don't you think?"

"It's true Xander. Don't waste time…"

"Buffy…" Jeff's voice broke back into their conversation and Xander's head snapped around.

"Where?" he looked at the entrance and then scanned the dance floor to the bar. Xander distinctly remembered her saying that she was going to cheer practice, training with Giles, and then home for dinner – as was now a requirement made by her father. Not that he wouldn't be thrilled if she had shown; he just hadn't told her that he was going to be there. He didn't want to give Buffy the wrong impression that he was going to make a habit of clubbing without her.

Jeff narrowed his eyes at his dark haired teammate. "Not here, man." His mouth fell into a smirk when Xander visibly deflated. "Jeez man, jumpy much?"

"Naw," Xander denied. "I just…"

"Whipped," Jeff coughed into his hand and Xander shook his head. "Don't worry man." Jeff spoke before Xander could. "I wouldn't mind that either, I mean – Buffy Summers. Hacha!"

Larry laughed out loud while Xander considered the comment and tried to fight down the well of anger that was rising in his throat. 

"I know what you mean, J-dog." Larry spoke and Xander whipped his head around to glare at him as well. "The cheerleading squad this year is top notch. I almost want to give up the pool and hit the football field."

"Seriously," Jeff grinned. "I actually considered joining the squad myself…hell; I'll even be a towel boy if I have to…"

Xander forced out a nervous chuckle and joined in the conversation, "They are hot."

Jeff nodded, "And she broke up with that pussy Hope," he added, signaling that he was back on the topic of Buffy. "You know about that Harris?" he asked next turning his full attention to Xander, who spoke tight lipped.

"Yeah."

"So what's up with that?" Jeff probed, "What went down?"

"I don't know…"

"Liar," Larry threw in. "You know you've got the info – you two are, like, best friends right?"

"Yeah Harris is the luckiest man on earth." Jeff hopped back onto his stool. "So c'mon man. Help me out…"

"With what?" Xander asked, not liking where this conversation was headed.

"Winter Formal is coming up, Harris. I needs me a hottie on my arm."

"What's that got to do with Buffy…?"

"Ass hole," Larry punched Jeff in the arm. "How can you ask him that? Xander probably wants to take her…"

"They're best friends," Jeff laughed. "He doesn't want to waste time working an empty font. Right Harris? You could be working a sure thing at that dance…like Cordelia or Harmony! I've been hearing things about Harmony, oh man…"

"What do you mean 'working a sure thing'?" Xander shook his head to refocus the conversation.

"You know…" Jeff trailed off, but then shook his head when Xander showed no sign of understanding. "You could go to the dance with somebody you have a definite chance with…"

"What makes you think I don't have a chance with Buffy?" he asked defensively.

"I told you he wanted to ask her." Larry spoke up and Jeff rolled his eyes at him.

"You're in the friend zone." Jeff pointed out. "I mean, if you act fast you could probably swing something with the red head, but, as far as you're concerned, Buffy Summers is long gone."

Xander tried to hide his smirk at the hidden falseness of that statement diverted his eyes to the table. "Willow's spoken for," he said instead of acknowledging the comment and fighting off the tingles that recalling his school day with Buffy brought on. "Percy."

"Right." Jeff nodded. "Well, you're screwed in that department…"

Almost Xander's mind agreed.

"But back to me, then we can work on you." Jeff kept speaking. "Not only is she single and hot…but I heard that she was quite the fast one…"

Xander's head snapped up again, his defenses rising at the comment about his best friend. "Who said that?" So I can kick their ass.

"From the direct source," Jeff said excitedly, not picking up on Xander's threatening tone. "During soccer season Scott was always telling us about her – he said by the third week, second date, he was in there."

"Three weeks?" Larry smirked. "You do realize that the dance only lasts about three _hours right?"_

Buffy's never had… "I hope by 'in' you mean in her house for studying…"

Jeff shook his head "Oh, he said there was eating…"

_It's a boob, Xander. Not plutonium. "Scott's an ass," Xander spoke up. "Buffy's never…"_

"Sure," Jeff said in a disbelieving tone. 

"She hasn't…I would know, and I don't so therefore – IT, whatever you're talking about, didn't happen. In fact, I'm going to go talk to Scott…"

"Rushing to the lady's rescue in the honor department much? So what if they did…that's not the point." Jeff said dismissively. "The point is that_ I want to be the next." He caught Xander's angry gaze. "Or the first, whatever. Just can you hook me up… put in a good word…"_

"So you can molest my best friend?" Xander asked shocked. "Why would I do that now?"

"Bros before hoes." Jeff offered and watched Xander's eyes flare. "Joking man, lighten up a little."

"Listen," Xander huffed, while he stood up. "Thanks for the night out and everything, but I gotta go." He started walking away from the table without looking back.

"It was a joke Harris!" Jeff called to his back as he watched Xander cut through the crowd.

"That was low, dude." Larry told him. "You can't tell a guy that about a chick who's his friend…"

"He's just pissed cuz he's never gonna be there." Jeff shook his head. "That's alright. I don't need her best friend to back me up. Fuck Harris."

~*~*~*~

Xander shoved his hands into his pockets as he made his way outside. He hung his head and hugged his jacket around him more as the crisp fall California air bit at his face. What had started out to be such a great night had turned into a huge suckfest…and at the hands of one of his close friends no less. 

Well close friend in the in the way that they were both on the swim team and were guys… Jeff was really just another sleazy guy who was always looking for an easy way out and a piece of ass. And he honestly thought Xander would help hook him up with any girl, especially Buffy; that just proved that was one Tylenol Gel Cap short of a full medicine cabinet.  

He shook his head and thought back to the conversation as he walked down the street. He shouldn't have gotten so upset, and he definitely shouldn't have let it show quiet so much – Larry was already picking up his discomfort at the idea of playing matchmaker, so he would have to be more discrete. But in the other hand, what if it were true? What if Jeff wasn't lying about what Scott had said? Well, not that Scott what Scott had said; Xander had no doubt that pig wrapped in Boy Next Door paper had said a lot of things about Buffy. It had been some if the things that Xander had heard him say about other girls while he was with her that led to their first break up in the middle of freshman year…but he had never heard him say anything about Buffy directly. Scott's a liar anyways. he pointed out to himself, Buffy would have told you if anything had happened… But…Why would she had told him?

Xander was lost in his thoughts as he headed out of the alley behind the exit of the Bronze and onto Main Street so he wasn't paying attention when his shoulder collided roughly with the torso of another boy who was passing him by.

"Sorry," Xander said distractedly as the impact swung him around partially. The person, whom he had hit however, didn't seem to be the least bit affected as he grasped the girls who he was walking with hand and continued towards the entrance. 

"S'okay," the other boy said finally over his shoulder and Xander could hear a hint of a laugh on his voice.

He knit his brow together at the sound of the voice, but when he turned to see who it was exactly who had spoken the boy and his female companion were past him and all he could make out was the backs of their heads. But still…the voice…the hair…the height…

"Jesse?" Xander called quietly after them; his tone a mixture of fear bewilderment and excitement. "Jesse?!" he called again. He thought he saw the boy's stride break, but he didn't turn around to acknowledge him before he and the blonde girl he was with disappeared inside the club.

Xander kept his eyes focused on the door of the Bronze and took a step forward to follow them, but then stopped and shook his head. "Nah," he said out loud and started back down the street sadly. He hated how he had so much on his mind that it had resorted to hallucinations. "It couldn't be."

~*~*~

"That was him?" Darla asked as she hung off of Jesse's arm as they entered the club. "That was Xander?"

Jesse smirked and looked around the familiar crowded warehouse. He could feel the beat, hear the heartbeats – hundreds of them…the smell of sweat, and passion…hormones signing in the air and luring him in. "Yeah," he answered her distractedly. "That was him…"

"Why didn't we grab him?" she asked, watching Jesse scan the club until his eyes stopped on a brunette girl in the middle of a small crowd of girls. She watched him skeptically and Jesse pulled his arm away from her.

"It's not time yet," he said quietly as he started towards the girl.

Darla sneered at him, but he couldn't see it. "Friend of yours?" she asked bitterly, despite herself. She had lost Angelus to the Slayer and now she had to lose her brand new childe to that little girl…Darla could rip her throat out and serve it to him on a platter.

"You could say that," he said over his shoulder as he smoothed out his black sweater. "Or you could say that she's my worst enemy and she's about to see what she missed out on…"

"I thought we came here for minions." Darla pouted. "Let's just get some wrestlers and go."

"No," Jesse said sternly. "I wanna party. I wanna make her pay…"

"We don't have time for revenge…"

Jesse turned his head suddenly and crooked his mouth into a smile. "You're jealous," he said with a hint of mirth. 

Darla rolled her eyes. "I am not…"

"You're jealous of Cordelia…"

"With that name there's no way she'd make an effective minion." Darla said confidently.

"But we can fuck with her head." Jesse raised an eye brow hopefully. "That'll be fun."

"We?" Darla smiled seductively at him and tilted her head to the side innocently.

"Of course we." Jesse told her softly. "Forever…I'm yours right?"

"Forever." Darla smiled and approached him.

Jesse grabbed her hand and led her through the crowd. "We'll pick some of the stronger ones," he shouted over the music. "We'll have magnum force tomorrow night…then we'll take out Harris." He felt Darla grip his hand in both of hers as he pulled her along. "Buffy won't see it coming till they're putting him in the ground." He was cracking up inside – not having a soul made everything so easy. He eyed Cordelia and released Darla's hand. "You wait here," he told her. "I'll be right back."

Truth be told, Cordelia was the only reason Jesse wanted to come here tonight. He knew that he would find her at the club and was itching to try out his new suave immortal charm. But Darla had followed him, and his plans for the night would have to be drastically curbed. He knew now for sure that she would not react well to his turning the head cheerleader, so right now he would just have to settle with plan B – telling Cordelia to do what he wanted her to do. After all, he had nothing to lose anymore.

Before she could protest Jesse had walk away and straight up to Cordelia's group, placing himself directly opposite her and making sure to laugh exaggeratedly at whatever she had just said.

"What do you want Loser?" Cordelia fired at him with venom.

Jesse didn't even shift under the scrutinizing gaze of the five girls he had just interrupted. He could feel them staring at him just as much as he could feel Darla's eyes boring into his back. "You." He told her simply.

The girls laughed and Jesse just eyed them. "You're kidding right?" Harmony said.

"I wasn't talking to you." He said, breaking through the circle and gripping Cordelia's arm. "Dance." It wasn't a question. He had ordered her while looking directly into her eyes.

Cordelia looked down at his hand and then back into his eyes. She stared at him as if she were trying to see through him…as if she were searching for something… "Alright," she said meekly and Jesse led her through the crowd to the dance floor.

"Wasn't that Jesse?" Amethyst spoke up as they watched Cordelia go.

Harmony rolled her eyes, "Yeah…"

"Didn't Buffy just go to his funeral?" she asked. The other girls just furrowed their brows and turned to watch Cordelia dance with the boy they all thought had died.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The End Part 13


	14. Before the Fall of Rome Part 14a

Title: Before the Fall of Rome (14a/?)

Author: Brooke 

Email: yabbadabbadome13@yahoo.com 

Rating: R

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. I wished I owned the two Xanders' from "The Replacement" though. Buffy and friends are owned by Joss, Mutant Enemy, 20th Century Fox, The UPN and whoever else has rights to the show. 

Summary: You remember all that crap that started post-puberty…yeah, it's great isn't it. It was when life started

Distribution: I don't know why anybody would want this, but if somebody does…sure. 

Feedback: Definitely!! Tell me if it sucked or if you liked it. Whatever. Just write back!

Authors Note: Takes place in an AU season 1 where Buffy and Xander are best friends and Willow is the new girl as Sunnydale High. It is the beginning of their sophomore year and, as 15 and 16 year olds, hormones and feelings are taking center stage.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He was pissed. Xander hoisted himself onto the low roof outside of Buffy's window. Not only had he ripped his pants on the tree he had climbed up, but she always made the sneaking look so easy. That was just one more thing about her that was making him angry right then.

Xander had been on his way home, but had gotten all turned around in his muddled thoughts and found himself at the Summers' home. If figured that if he wanted to know anything about Buffy, he should just ask her…it was his right as friend. He couldn't very well kick Scott's ass if he had been telling the truth, and… fuck! He just wanted to know.

Crouching, Xander climbed towards her darkened window and peered inside. He thought it was pretty early, only 11:15, but as he looked inside it appeared that Buffy was sleeping. And here he thought Slayers kept funky hours; he knew Buffy was usually up at this hour, undead or not. Xander tapped as quietly as he could on the glass pane, hoping to get her attention. "C'mon Buff…" he tapped some more, "Wakey wakey."

"What are you doing?"

Xander jumped and fell forwards into the glass only to then bounce off and land on his butt. The voice behind him now trying to stifle a giggle while he fought to catch his breath. "Trying to wake you up." He said through heavy exhalations. "Jesus…"

Buffy laughed quietly and reached pass him to push open the window. "Any special reason?" she asked, stepping back to allow Xander to enter first. She saw him hesitate so that she would climb in first, but she didn't move. She knew that if she went inside first Xander might look around before he entered. Not that she didn't find the fact that he wanted to protect her flattering, but she couldn't risk him spotting Angel anywhere. The vampire had followed her like a shadow after she had stormed away from him; and the thing that got to her this time was that he wasn't even trying to hide his presence. She could hear his footfalls behind her the whole way, and she doubted he was smart enough to get gone even when she entered her house. In fact, Buffy had made a mental note on her way to remember to be more cautious about shutting her curtains at night because who knew how long that monster had been watching her. She really didn't need to have a falling out with Xander over Angel and that was what would happen if her friend knew that she was spending extra time with the demon, information provider or not.

Xander shrugged and finally moved through the open window. "No reason really," he said dismissively as he moved past her. "Just thought I'd swing by say goodnight, tuck you in…ask if you had sex with Scott."

Buffy had been searching for Angel on the street below, finally spotting him behind a tree in the neighbors yard when Xander finished his statement. "What?" she asked with her brow furrowed, turning and jumping into her room quickly to face him.

Xander was running his fingers over the jewelry box on her dresser, his back to her when he spoke. "You know. Sex. With Scott. As in did you…"

"I got that." Buffy said curtly. "Why would you ask me that?"

"I just heard, that's all." Xander shrugged and turned to face his friend.

"No." she said with her face turned up in a half disgusted half confused statement. "No. Ewwww." She shook for effect, but then her voice took on a frighteningly threatening tone. "Heard from who?"

"It's not important." Xander shook his head and plopped down on her bed while Buffy flicked on her bedside lamp.

"Oh," she said in a loud whisper, "I think it is. You can't tell me that _that_ was being considered public knowledge and expect me to just let it drop."

"I never said that it was public knowledge…"

"Why else would somebody have just told you then?" Buffy asked disbelievingly. 

"It was just some guy talking shit, that's all." Xander shut his eyes. "I told him it was a lie…"

"But you didn't believe it." Buffy sighed and Xander could almost here the hurt ebbing in her tone.

"I told Jeff that Scott was a fucking liar…" Xander said quickly in his defense, but then realized what he had said.

Buffy's jaw set and she huffed out an angry breath. "Jeff Broderick." She said recalling the typical jock that had infected her ex-boyfriend with male chauvinism, and was now working on her best friend. "He said that Scott said that I…" she trailed off leaving Xander to finish her train of thought.

"I didn't say that." Xander denied feebly, turning his eyes to the floor.

Buffy shook her head as he refused to meet her eyes. It seemed pretty pathetic to her that Xander would risk coming all the way to her house in the dead of night because he wasn't sure if Scott was an asshole. It had been Xander that had first introduced her to that concept in the first place. She moved past where he was perched on the foot of her bed towards her chest of drawers and pulled one open before stopping suddenly. "Why are you dressed like that?" she asked, narrowing her eyes at him. She was still pissed at him for questioning her the way he had, but now she was focused on something else. That something that screamed that Xander was dressed for the Bronze.

"Why are you climbing through your window at midnight?" he fired at her quickly, stating his guilt with his defensive question. He raised his eyes to meet Buffy's, both trying to read each other.

"It's called patrol." Buffy snorted at him. "Slayers do it."

Xander tossed a sarcastic laugh at her. "Yeah. But you said you weren't going out tonight…"

"And you never mentioned that you were going to the Bronze." Buffy said to him as she grabbed some pajamas from the drawer and headed to her bathroom. "Now what part of your destiny was it that makes you risk your life to dance and make merry?" she asked rhetorically through the open door of the darkened bathroom.

Xander craned his neck to the side to try to see into the room where Buffy was, listening to her discarded clothes hit the floor just beyond his eyesight. "Uh…" he took a deep breath and licked his lips. "I…"

Buffy was looking at him with raise eye brows as she exited the bathroom now clad in a tank top and loose plaid pajama pants. "Ah yes. The 'Uh…I', I've heard of them. They kill fashion sense and brain cells, right?"

"Look," Xander said shaking his head and standing up. "I just…I was just wondering… I'm gonna go home…"

"Xander," Buffy sighed and reached out to grab his forearm. "Wait a minute." He stopped and looked at her hand on his arm and then up into her eyes. "You can't walk home at night. It's not safe."

He shrugged and glanced towards the window. "I'll handle it." He said quietly and headed across the room.

"You must have misunderstood me." Buffy continued from behind him, pushing the window closed again when he opened it. "I'm not letting you walk home now. You know how dangerous it is, and you're lucky I don't kick your ass myself for being out this late as it is."

"Alright mom," Xander sighed and turned to face her. The last place he wanted to be right now was in Buffy's room. He couldn't help that her answer of 'No, ewww' was not the flagrant denial to Scott's rumors that he had been hoping for; but, at the same time, he knew he had better drop it or have a black eye to show a testament to his inquisition. 

Buffy settled on his acceptance and walked over to her bed and pulled the covers back. Xander watched her back as she pulled out a large body pillow that was underneath. It had been what he thought was Buffy sleeping soundly from outside, and he grinned at her fourth grade inventiveness. 

"You know where your stuff is." Buffy told him over her shoulder as she climbed into bed.

"You're gonna go to sleep now?" Xander asked slightly confused as he watched Buffy settle into her pillows.

She flipped over onto her other side so that she was facing him. "Yeah. I'm kinda tired…"

"From what?" Xander asked as he opened the chest at the foot of her bed and pulled out a pair of his sweat pants and a tee shirt. "All the slaying you lied about?"

"Yep." Buffy answered quickly and rolled back over, "That must be it."

Xander rolled his eyes and turned around before unfastening his buckle. "Well, as long as you admit it." He smiled as he kicked off his pants, he rarely won an argument with Buffy, and even though he could tell that she had just backed down he had to be happy with small victories.

Buffy kept her eyes closed and listened to Xander move at the foot of her bed. She could hear his zipper being pulled down and the soft rustle of him pulling his shirt over his head. Even the distinct sound of both articles of clothing being tossed to the other side of the room. They had never sounded so loud in the past. What in the hell did he think he was doing? she thought with a swallow as she listened to him pull on his sleep clothes. What if her parents came in to check on her? He didn't know if she had told them goodnight. What if her dad opened her bedroom door and saw Xander standing there in his underware?  But she didn't say anything and she didn't open her eyes…in fact, she fought to keep her eyes shut; and then she felt the covers shift on the other side of the bed.

Buffy's eyes snapped open and focused on her friend, noticing that he had neglected to put on the tee shirt that he had taken out of the chest. "What are you doing?"

Xander sat down and looked at her confused. "Going to bed at 11:30, I guess."

"You don't have to…I mean, I…I'm kinda tired, that's all…I…"

He watched her stutter for her words and was slightly amazed. Buffy could flip total 360's in her moods at the drop of a dime – she had seemed pissed at him only a moment ago, but now, she couldn't even meet his eyes. Xander smirked to himself, he liked that he could have the same affect on her that she had on him. "Well, I can't very well take a stroll around your house, can I?"

Buffy's eyes darted around the room and Xander shifted further down on the bed. "Well…Night."

"Night," Buffy replied quickly.

"Are you sure you don't want me to…"

"It's fine Xander. Really." Buffy assured him. "I'd rather you sleep with me than go out and be live bait." Her mind flashed back to the large vampire she had faced in the house- the one who knew Xander by name. She couldn't risk him getting hurt, and she'd suffer through a million sex talks with her parents and eternal groundation before she'd let anything happen to him. Buffy shut her eyes and felt Xander shift on his side as he tried to get comfortable. She tensed when he seemed to find the most relaxing position…with his right arm flung low across her waist and his knees fit behind hers.

Xander felt her body go rigid, "Is this alright?" he asked unsurely. God, he had no idea how to act around her now. She was fine with contact as long as she was the one who started it; outside of that they were still just best friends and he, it seemed to be, was making inappropriate advances towards her.

Buffy nodded against the pillow and tried to steady her breathing. She had slept with Xander a hundred times easy during the course of their friendship…she had just never had him hold her when she was going to sleep, not even that night when they first kissed. Speaking of which, she had never slept with Xander after they had engaged in as much *ahem* physical contact as they had that day. 

Buffy's natural progression of relationship related touching activities was being completely thrown by him. She had always had down time with Scott… time to take a breather and give him something to think about for the next time they were together – things could go slower that way…but with Xander. They spent almost every second together, and combined with the fact that she…that he…it was Xander. She had known him her whole life and could trust him completely. He meant everything to her. He wasn't – random- as Scott had been. Xander was a constant, not a boyfriend…although he could be that if she was willing to completely convert him from a friend, but she couldn't – she didn't know if she wanted to, not when she could have all the boyfriend benefits and none of the titles. But she wondered how long she could offer him everything a real relationship was without it being a real live, living and breathing entity. Or how long she would be comfortable with that herself as she was right now.

Xander just sighed as she relaxed slowly against him, "You sure about…"

"This is nice." Buffy interrupted him. "This is fine."

They lay in silence for a moment, both knowing that the other wasn't asleep by the tone of the others breathing. "I'm so not tired." Xander finally whispered.

"Me either," Buffy mumbled. "But I'm thinking if I just keep my eyes closed I can trick myself into sleeping." She had no idea how many times over the last few weeks she had hoped that tactic would work, but slaying always left her wired and jumpy, and she would usually grab something to eat or watch TV, usually both before shower time, some homework and then some light aerobics; but thanks to her minor freak out at Xander's random appearance she had just hopped straight into bed. 

"Tried that." Xander huffed against the back of her neck and Buffy shuddered at the feel of his warm breath. "So…"  Xander breathed out hard, intentionally this time to elicit the same reaction. He wondered if he kept doing it if she would keep squirming and pushing back against him… He shut his eyes against the thought as he felt a familiar tingle shoot through his body. If he couldn't summon a non-sexy thought right now he'd have to let her go for a second. "The slaying… Re-kill anything?"

Buffy furrowed her brow and felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end as Xander's breath blew through them and she heard him lick his lips. She would never understand guys…she wondered how many hours a day Xander spent with a hard-on because she had counted four separate occasions that day, and that was only when she had been involved. She shifted back a little more and heard him swallow…Make that five. "I don't really want to talk about that." Buffy told him. "I like to leave the slaying in the field – no vampires in my bed and all." The image of Angel that flashed through her mind caused her to clench involuntarily as she tried to push it away. She briefly wondered if he was still outside. She wanted to know what he was thinking if he were…when he saw her light turn out and know that Xander was still inside with her. She wanted to know how the demon would feel knowing that she was sharing a bed with her dark haired friend…

Most of all she wanted to know why she was thinking about him. Buffy couldn't push that thought away mostly because she was afraid of the answer – scare of the fact that the vampire was always in the back of her mind, that she was always wondering what he was doing and where her was, when he would show up next. It freaked her that she thought about Angel almost as much as she did Xander…that her hate was just as strong as her love and it could zip back and forth between the two that they could almost be interchanged. Buffy didn't like that the buzz that both caused in her heart and stomach were identical in nature and that she craved them both. 

"Understandable," Xander husked out, cursing the fact that nothing he could call to mind was quelling the fantasies of Buffy that were running in his brain on loop. And she kept rocking back against him- the slightest movements as if she knew what it was doing to him, as if she thought it was funny that he was hard and could do nothing about it. He grabbed a quick breath before speaking again.  "So what do you want to talk about?"

She rocked her hips back again, this time in a small circle. She had Xander now though. She had the love, and she didn't need thoughts of Angel plaguing her mind when she was in her friends arms. "Anything but that." 

Xander was shaking now, actually physically shaking and now using all his mental powers to stop that. "Why don't we talk about sports then…or…or…math…"

Buffy smirked to herself. She knew she was horrible…that she shouldn't enjoy teasing him as much as she was, but…it was fun. "What about sports and math?"

"OR!!!" his voice was a loud whisper as she was rocking harder against his groin. His chin shook in effort to control his breathing. "Scott…let's talk about him." He had to get her to stop her gyrating, and the best way he saw to do that was to piss her off. 

Buffy recognized his tactic immediately. Minus the grinding, it was Jesse's favorite move when she had the upper hand…Jesse…Darla. She had to find Darla. She had to pay.

Xander sighed in relief as Buffy's movement ceased. "So answer my earlier question." He pressed thinking he had hit a sore spot that would undoubtedly provide him some uncomfortable relief. He had no earthly desire to hear about Buffy and Scott, but at least she was dry humping him anymore.

"Hmmm?" Buffy hummed distractedly as she tried desperately to push the image of her lost friend away and focus on the here and now…on being with Xander.

"What exactly did you guys do?" Xander kept speaking, oblivious to her internal struggle. "I mean…I'm guessing it…"

"Guessing?" Buffy swallowed. "Why?"

"You're all gun ho…with touching and…kissing…"

"You keep up well enough." She pointed out, trying not to sound pissy as she became refocused on what he was implying. It was as if he had forgotten that he had been the one groping her breast in every closet in the school. This boy could change her thought processes faster than a tennis ball at Wimbledon. 

Xander noticed her change in tone and his mind set off the alarm bells. 

"And would you want me guessing what you've done with girls?" Buffy kept speaking.

He spotted an opportunity to defuse the situation. "I wasn't even thinking about what you'd done with girls…"

"It's probably be the same amount that you have," Buffy fired at him, knowing full well that it was a low blow. "Until today, that is." She basked in his uncomfortable silence for a moment, before his voice sounded uneasily. 

"Hey," Xander defended whole heartedly. "I dated Michelle Corson."

"Oh, alright," Buffy mocked in an overtly sarcastic tone. "I _guess_," She emphasized the word he had used, "that the most that happened there was that you accidentally brushed up against her boob in a heated round of Seven Minutes in Heaven in Cordelia's basement. Besides, she told everybody you get all nervous and pokey and then you ran away."

Xander forced a grin, happy that she couldn't see him as he thought back to Michelle. His first relationship ever had ended badly and in front of everybody. But he didn't _run –_it was more of a brisk walk that resulted in him tripping over his feet and falling on his face, but it wasn't a run. "Hey, I didn't run." He tried not to sound like he was pouting. "And what do you mean accidentally?"

She laughed against his chest, "I don't know…I sorta believe it. I mean it was like you were trying to find 102.7 in my shirt."

"You weren't complaining too much." He defended, still pressed behind her. 

Buffy sighed. "I was trying to be encouraging… It helped."

"Meaning?"

"You were better at 2:15 than you were at 9:45." She told him honestly. "You got much less…proddy."

"Well, thanks, I guess."

"Practice does make perfect." Buffy tossed over her shoulder at him with a grin and felt his hand creep up her body, over her stomach until he was grasping her breast in a firm grip. She inhaled sharply in surprise when he squeezed slightly.

"Speaking of which," he said into her ear, getting her back for her earlier game. "We need to talk about _your tactics."_

Buffy sighed and licked her lips. She tried to regain control over the situation, but she was having trouble finding her voice, and she almost stopped trying when he thrust his hips out against her backside. "My tactics?" she managed to breathe out.

"Yeah." Xander squeezed her again. "You can't be the only one who gets a say in the when, why, and wherefore."

It was Buffy's turn to tingle now and she could hardly focus on his words as his hip rocked against hers. "Huh?"

"You can't," Xander paused and placed a kiss on the back of her neck, punctuated by another thrust that was intended to show her to question his experience, "have all the control." 

"Alright."

Xander smiled at the sigh in her voice. "And you have to stop freaking out if I initiate something…"

"Yeah…" Buffy felt another kiss to the back of her neck and her stomach clenched. Well, it started in her stomach and ended in someplace else entirely. It was a stronger sensation than Scott had ever caused in her, and Buffy couldn't lie still anymore. She turned her head before the rest of her body could catch up and kissed him full on, not caring that he gasped in surprised in her change in position as she thrust her tongue into his mouth. This was exactly why they shouldn't ever share a bed again, she thought with a grin, but it was quickly pushed to the back of her mind as she turned to face him completely.

Xander had no choice but to hold on to her, as she held him in a vice grip, her lips moving against his with purpose. He heard her…moan…he thought, into his mouth, but found himself unable to fully register it as he felt her lift her left leg, bent at the knee to his hip. He did recognize his groan as the action lined up her girl parts, as his mind dubbed them, with his corresponding boy ones, and before he could respond properly he was pulled on top of her tiny form when she rolled onto her back.

Buffy grunted against his lips, but didn't break the kiss as Xander struggled to brace himself on his forearms and keep up with her. She had to stifle her giggle as she had wrapped her legs around the back of his and kept her arms around his neck, effectively trapping him right where she wanted him; and thanks to her Slayer strength, he was unable to do anything in protest. She ground her hips up against his and heard his groan when he trust back down against her causing a sharp throb to course through her lower abdomen, but despite the wave of pleasure her eyes snapped open and she pulled her mouth away from his, grinning as Xander attempted to follow her movement before opening his eyes.

"What?" he said in a harsh whisper, his dark eyes wide and his chin shaking subtly. He couldn't control the aborted flex of his hips that was being drawn out by their maintained position. It seemed to him that his body knew to keep going as it was in this scenario, because it wouldn't stop moving.

"Shhh." Buffy whispered back in his face. 

"Sorry," Xander nodded quickly. In the heat of the moment he had forgotten all about Mr. and Mrs. Summers, not to mention Dawn who lived in the adjoining room from her big sister. But unfortunately for him his common courtesy for the other members of Buffy's family was not on the forefront of his thoughts, in fact, he couldn't care less. He pushed his lips back down to hers and thrust his hips out at the same time, catching the high pitched whine that shot out of her mouth. Buffy just held him tighter and his whole body started to shake. Xander clenched his eyes shut and moved his right hand up Buffy's body, groping at her chest roughly.

"Xan," she pulled back again and spoke mumbled against his kiss. He was pushing against her harder now…hurried…and it felt good. Really good.

"Sorry," he muttered again and tried to slow himself down. "Sorry."

"No," Buffy gasped out, squirming a little under her friend's rapid handling. "S'kay…s'kay…calm" there was so much pressure it almost hurt…it was so strong that nothing she had ever felt before compare to it. It wasn't like she had never felt it before; she just never understood what was so great about orgasms. Scott sometimes made it happen a little bit, she had always assumed that he was getting her off…but this was sooooo different. So different that she wondered if Xander would change her opinion on the matter. She could feel his breath on her face coming in hard exhalations, and despite the lack of rhythm he was using to rub himself against her it was paying off for her as well. She just needed to concentrate on it a little bit more…

He had never heard he voice like that before and it tore through him, making him shake and ... "Aruuggg….Oh God…" Xander clenched his eyes shut and pulled back from the heated kiss with a painful frown. That was just his luck, he cursed himself as his body continued to shake.

"Wha?" Buffy was still breathing hard and thrusting up against him, still moving hard as she worked to make her own throb cease. "Are you ok?"

Xander nodded his head bent over hers. "I…" he was still fighting to catch his breath from the event, which in his mind, and on his part, was over far too soon. "I gotta…. I …"

"Oh," Buffy breathed out noting that she couldn't _feel him anymore when he shifted his hips. "Okay…"_

He pushed himself off of her quickly, breaking the loosened hold of her legs, and stood at the side of the bed trying to discretely cover himself with his hands. "I'll be right back," he said unable to hide the embarrassment in his tone.

"Yeah," Buffy nodded as her eyes darted around her room confused. She didn't even watch him as he walked into her bathroom, his hands still locked in place in front of him. She scrunched her brow in confusion at the events that had just transpired as she sunk down into her pillow and listened to the water run in her bathroom. She really had no clue as to how to react when Xander reemerged… so she was doing what she did best and ignoring everything. They could just go to sleep, Buffy figured, like they hadn't just…

Yeah,  her mind agreed, Just go to sleep. 

Satisfied with her decided course of action at the moment, Buffy had her eyes shut when Xander padded back into her room. She attributed his lack of noise to more embarrassment than concern over who might hear him walking about –that had to be it since he was moaning loud enough to re-awake the dead about ten minutes before. 

Buffy kept her eyes focused on the window opposite him and felt the mattress compress of the other side of the bed as Xander slipped under the covers again, this time not touching her at all. "Night…again." She said after several moments of silence.

Xander swallowed loudly enough for her to hear, "Yeah. Night…Buff…"

"Huh?" she turned partially on her side to look at him out of the corner of her eye. He sounded like he wanted to say something but didn't know what. She could think of about seventy-five things he could say…but it wasn't like she could tell him, as she had no idea what she wanted to hear from him anyway. Buffy was pretty sure a 'thank you' would do more harm than good for him cuz it would only serve to piss her off; but at least it would be something…an acknowledgment – unless…unless Xander thought that she did that type of thing a lot, and therefore it wasn't a big deal, in which case she was pissed off again. How dare he assume that about her. It didn't matter if it was true or not, he had no right to think it, and to degrade what they had done by not even speaking to her…

"Night," Xander said again somberly, completely unaware of her internal defenses rising up. There was nothing that came to mind that could justify himself. That was…it could've been special. It was his first 'contact' in that way with his best friend, and he had pulled the famous Harris luck. Leave it to him to loose his load with record speed during his first dry hump with Buffy. If he were her it would be his last too.

He felt her turn back away from him and he sighed. He should say something…a thank you? Yeah, he berated himself, Thanks for letting me get off on you bestest buddy. Lets do it again sometime. Xander shook his head and shut his eyes wishing for the sun to rise. The sooner it was daylight, the sooner he could be out of that window. He could even fake sick and get out of school…after he left her room, he didn't have to see Buffy all day, maybe two if he could act his way through a stomach virus well enough. He turned onto his side and put as much distance between them as he could, resigning to the fact that holding Buffy didn't seem like the ideal sleeping arrangement anymore as they  lay in eerie silence. Yeah, he had made an ass of himself. She probably didn't even want him there anymore. She probably even regretted that she didn't send his sorry ass out to be vamp bait – he bet Scott never…

"Xander," Buffy whispered after a while, turning her head to see him again. She had tried to be pissed at him, but growled to herself that she found him cuter now than she had previously. He was all pouty now, she could hear it in his breathing that he was upset…even more so than she was, and, damn him, it was adorable. He was her best friend to a fault, caring more about what she was feeling and, most likely, degrading himself for not giving as he had received. Xander had a habit of always wanting her to be happy, and driving himself insane to make it so. In the end that was why she could never stay mad at him, this was no different. "Can you hug me?" she asked in a quiet tone, which previously had been designated as her cutesy girlfriend voice reserved for Scott.

Buffy heard Xander swallow again, this time more out of surprise, but then felt his arm reassume its position around her waist. Buffy sighed, letting him hear her contentment for his benefit and settled back against his chest, once again allowing herself to revel in the feel of his breath on her neck. "Better." And Buffy felt his small nod and heard his soft grunt of agreement before she shut her eyes.  He was right that she was biting off more than she could chew right now…trying to have a new boyfriend-girlfriend relationship with her best friend, combined with school and her overprotective parents, and now the slaying, but it was something about Xander…something that she knew what it was exactly, but had never learned how to express it verbally, that made so look forward to trying everything out with him.

~*~*~

"She's happy right?" the thick New York accent of his companion asked from beside him as he kept his eyes focused on the darkened bedroom window from across the street. She had closed the curtains, and Angel couldn't see inside clearly, but he had just seen Xander's shadow moving in the bathroom and the light had just flicked off again. It made him sick that the boy was spending the night in there…with her.

Angel didn't even bother to glance at Whistler, "Yeah. She is." He could imagine what was going on in there. He could smell Buffy anywhere – everything had a smell…he wondered if he would be able to pick up the scent of her purity the next night, or if that little snot would have taken it by then.

"Then be happy for her."

"Easier said than done." Angel shook his head.

Whistler shrugged. "Well, how bout I spring for a nice juicy steak and eggs breakfast – hold the eggs."

Angel chuckled a little.

"I'll even let you tell me how perfect she is some more…"

"Rare steak?" Angel asked glancing back towards the window.

Whistler grinned and started down the street again, "The rarest. Plus we need to work out the plans for tomorrow. You still wanna keep her out of this right?"

Angel dropped his head and caught up with the other demon. "I'm going to keep her out of this."

"As much as you can." Whistler added. "Don't get to much in the habit of sheltering her Mother Goose. The kid's gotta grow up…make her own way."

He focused on the street ahead as they walked away from Buffy's house. "I'm just going to assume that you're only talking about the Slaying aspect…"

"I'm talking about the girl, Angel." Whistler broke in, "She's gonna grow up fast, and it's gonna happen right in front of you. You're just gonna have to watch it happen, and I guarantee you're not gonna like it all the time." He heard the vampire sigh. "You can't protect her anymore from the boy than you can from the Master, but if you love her, you'll stay by her no matter what."

Angel nodded in agreement. He knew that Whistler was right, he would just have to stand by Buffy…and hope…hope that one day she would choose him. "So we'll nix the plan to use Harris as bait?"

Whistler couldn't hold in his laughter at the comment. It was just too funny that this immortal being was insanely jealous of the teenage boy. This had to be the first time in the history of the world that a mortal had gotten the upper hand on Angelus…on Angel, and it was over a girl, a teenaged girl. "Well pal, I guess what they say is true."

Angel jammed his hands into his pockets, "And what do they say?"

Whistler shrugged, "Anything worth having is worth fighting for."

~*~*~*~

Xander kicked his legs free of the covers before he opened his eyes, squinting against the sunlight that was streaming into the room. The much brighter than his room – Buffy's room. He was surrounded by it – intense Buffyness all embedded in her blankets and pillows. He grinned and glanced to his side…

The bed was empty.

Xander sat up and rubbed his hand down his face to clear his eyes and looked around the room. He could hear the faint sounds of the shower running and he relaxed a little bit. For a moment he had thought Buffy had freaked out like she had the night she had slept in his room and ran. Although he had no idea where she would run to now because this was, after all, her house. 

But no. She was still there, and while examining her side of the bed it seemed that she had been awake for quite a while. He inventoried the variety of school books that were laid on top of the covers and assumed that she had woken up early to do homework before heading to the shower and he wondered just how hard a sleeper he was.

He pushed himself out of the bed and padded as quietly as he could to the foot of the bed to retrieve his clothes when he heard the shower stop. He figured that he shouldn't just stay sitting there like a jack ass when she got out – they both had to get ready for school and her parents would, most likely, be knocking on her door any moment.

Truth be told, he wanted to get out of there before he had to actually talk to Buffy anyway. He figured that it would be best for the both of them if he were gone – it would defiantly spare them both the embarrassment that, when he heard the water stop as a signal that she would be in the room with his soon, welled up from the pit of his stomach. How could he even look at her after that? Not that she had done anything wrong, but he…How could she even want to speak to him? He had…

"I thought you were never going to wake up."

Buffy didn't sound angry. She didn't sound like anything really.

"Heavy sleeper," Xander shrugged, turning to face her. His breath caught in his throat and he blinked at her. He had just started to congratulate himself on his focus on things other than wet naked Buffy, but now there she stood. Not naked, but still a screaming reminder that she had been. And she still looked innocently cute to him in a completely hot kind of way, dressed in the tiniest pair of shorts and the hugest gym shirt he had ever seen. He assumed that it had been her fathers because it had 'Hank' written on it and just the name sent him into a flurry of activity that forced the majority of his rising arousal away. Which probably would have happened anyway if last night is any indicator.

Buffy nodded and brushed past him on her way to the bed where she started to close her books. "You do that a lot?" she heard Xander ask from behind her and she listened to him get dressed. 

"What? My homework?" Buffy questioned with a slight grin, "Yeah, occasionally."

"No," Xander chuckled, "Well, yeah…I guess I never paid attention to what you hand in or anything…but you get up early to do it?"

Buffy turned to see Xander as he sat on the trunk at the foot of her bed to tie his shoes. "Well, I have to do it sometime…plus I was kind wired from…I mean, I was up and all…"

Xander caught her almost slip and stood up, jamming his hands into his pockets. "I should do that…the homework and all that is…in the morning…"

Buffy tilted her head at him, and much to Xander's surprise sent him an almost comforting smile before reaching out and pushing at his arm. "You should start by doing your homework anytime."

He opened his mouth to speak, his confidence reborn at her light tone; it was almost as if she had completely glossed over the whole of the previous night. Like it didn't even matter to her. Weather it was for his benefit or not, Xander was grateful that she was reacting the way that she was. He assumed any other girl would have posted his photo along with a warning to the remaining female population that he, the Razorback Swim Team's answer to Greg Louganis, was a quick shooter. But not his Buffy…

But the knock at the door quickly shut him up and both he and Buffy froze as their heads whipped to face it.

"Buffy," Hanks voice rang through the hard wood and Buffy could pick up, with her new more acute hearing, his hand land on the door knob – right before the thud of her own heart drowned it out. "It's time to get up Princess…"

"Princess?" Xander mouthed with a cutesy smile, despite his rising fear at the fact that Hank was standing mere feet away…and his foot, therefore, was the same distance from his ass.

Buffy rolled her eyes and grabbed Xander by the arm, pulling him across the room, "Out the window," she whispered harshly to him as she forced him onto the larger sitting ledge.

"Princess?" Buffy's father called again followed by an attempt at the door knob. "Buffy?" Her father's voice took on a more dominating tone. "Why is this door locked? Buffy?"

"Coming!!!" she called hurriedly trying to push Xander outside and cursing the fact that his long legs were getting caught as he tried to squeeze himself outside. "See you in a few," she whispered to him with a grin once he was outside. 

Xander nodded and leant back through the window, bringing his hand up to cup her face and pulling her into a light kiss. "See you," he smiled back after he pulled away quickly and turned before she could see the stupid grin on his face. That had been so much different than before – it was how he always wanted it to be, well, always since they had started this whole _thing, whatever it was. It didn't really matter, Xander thought as he lowered himself down carefully off of the roof and into Buffy's lawn. She had wanted him to kiss her this time. She hadn't pulled away. Maybe, just maybe, they were getting somewhere._

Buffy had watched him disappear down the street before turning and setting herself to open the door. She took a deep breath and pulled it open, trying her hardest to wear an innocent look under her father's scrutiny.

Hank eyed her suspiciously and then tried to look discreetly into her room. It had sounded like she was talking to somebody…

"Sorry Daddy," Buffy spoke noticing how her father was surveying her space. "I was in the shower."

Hank nodded slowly and looked her up and down. She did look like she was telling the truth…he guessed. "Alright," he said slowly. After fifteen years of raising girls and twenty five years of marriage he would think that he knew something – anything – about how to read women; and his little girl was, much to his loathing, becoming one of them. "Come down for breakfast when you're done."

Buffy sight internally knowing that she had him beat this time. Her Dad had thought something was up, but didn't want to or know how to ask, and now had used up all his snooping time so he had given up. "Alright Daddy," she grinned and at his unsure smile before shutting her door.

~*~*~*~

Jesse walked around the lair carefully stepping over the strewn limbs of the twenty of so bodies littering the damp sewer floor.

The night had been a tremendous success; it was all falling into place. And now that the sun had risen all that remained was to sit and wait for his reign to come – dusk would bring a new age, and he, for one, couldn't wait. It would be unforgettable.

Not only had he, Darla, and later in the evening, Luke ascertained a suitable amount of minions for the Harvest, but he had made his presence known to the whole of the Bronze

He idly rolled one of the large male bodies over and roughly yanked off the jacket he had been wearing – a Sunnydale High wrestling team member. He must not be that great at it if he had been killed so easily, but, Jesse guessed, he was probably thinking with his little head. He recognized the boy, a year older then he had been, Keegan Foreman to be precise. He would benefit Jesse's outfit more than SDH anyway.

Jesse slipped his arms though the sleeves of the jacket and adjusted it on his shoulders. He had always wanted one, but had been cut from the tryouts after the first round. He had never had the luck with sports that his friend had. Never could compete with swim super stud Xander Harris.

But soon his time would come. He would show all of them up and it would happen tonight. It was coming. The Master would rise and more importantly, for his own new social standing, it would be the night he would kill his first Slayer. Jesse would face off with Buffy and he was going to win. 

He had secretly decided against all the mental torture and 'make her weak' bullshit. He would just break her neck and be done with it. Or turn her Jesse thought evilly. That would be the sweetest twist and she would be his childe – owe him for an eternity. Either way she would be dead by his hand and he would have the respect of the Hellmouth to wear as an additional badge.

Enough people had seen him that night at the Bronze to be talking about it all day at school and Buffy the Vampire Slayer would undoubtedly rush in to save the day. She had to know about the Harvest. Her lapdog, Angel, had probably clued her in. Not to mention that her little Watcher, and Jesse had loved finding this the most, the new librarian, was working overtime to decode all the symbols…decipher the signs to pinpoint the when and how. But he would be too late. It was already happening.

Jesse stopped suddenly and knelt down over a body near his new room, which by giddy coincidence, was also Darla's, and flipped it over onto its back. He starred at the familiar, now relaxed, features of the boy unable to wipe the sinister grin off of his face. Jesse ran his fingers over the name embroidered onto the high school letterman jacket the body was wearing…Willow's boy had been out alone that night.

Percy. He would rise soon. The high school senior star quarterback may have made it is business to fuck up Jesse's mortal life, but in a few short hours he would wake his childe. Jesse had taken great joy in killing him…he had stalked him and beat him…he had taken pride in the fun he had doing it, too.

"Jesse?"

His head snapped up and he looked towards the room the Darla's voice had echoed from.

"What?"

Darla peeked out of the room, vampire vestige in place, and grinned at him, making sure that the immortal teenager could see her lack of dress. She shifted in mock insecurity at his growl. "Come to bed and rest for tonight."

Jesse slit his eyes at her but didn't approach. "Not tired."

The blonde vampire slinked up to her childe; head tilted innocently, and pressed herself against him. She ran her hands lightly up his sides and leant up, as if to kiss him, but stopped mere centimeters from his lips. Darla locked eyes with him and gripped the lapels of the jacket he was wearing in a vice grip, whispering into his mouth. "You will be."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

End Part 14a


	15. Before the Fall of Rome Part 14b

Title: Before the Fall of Rome (14b/?)

Author: Brooke 

Email: yabbadabbadome13@yahoo.com 

Rating: R

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. I wished I owned the two Xanders' from "The Replacement" though. Buffy and friends are owned by Joss, Mutant Enemy, 20th Century Fox, The UPN and whoever else has rights to the show. 

Summary: You remember all that crap that started post-puberty…yeah, it's great isn't it. It was when life started

Distribution: I don't know why anybody would want this, but if somebody does…sure. 

Feedback: Definitely!! Tell me if it sucked or if you liked it. Whatever. Just write back!

Authors Note: Takes place in an AU season 1 where Buffy and Xander are best friends and Willow is the new girl as Sunnydale High. It is the beginning of their sophomore year and, as 15 and 16 year olds, hormones and feelings are taking center stage.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Giles paced around the library, his face buried in the book he was reading as he walked. The Master shall rise. His brow furrowed. He had been reading this since he came across it a few days ago and it had yet to make any sense. 

He had contacted all his associates at the Watcher's Council and inquired about what he should be looking for…any signs of what might be to come, of what his books were indicating, but nothing panned out. There had been no abnormal disappearances, no rain of toads, no four horsemen… Just nothing.

That was what was getting to him. The silence of the town, even more so than it had been when he first arrived there. Buffy was slaying an average amount of undead, there had been no further reports about the large vampire that had escaped her at the house or the child that it had been guarding, everything barring the untimely passing of her friend, was completely normal. It was good – too good.

Giles was trying to piece the time bomb of a puzzle together when he heard a slight rustling from the stacks behind him and he turned to face them. He had only helped about twelve students since the beginning of school just over three weeks ago, and the majority of his company had been from the girl Willow, who seemed to be the only literate one in the whole place, and from Buffy, who he required show up to "hit things" as she had so eloquently put it. But now he heard a noise from an area that he doubted any student at Sunnydale High would ever venture into…the place where the real books lived.

"Hello?" he called while cautiously inching towards the shelves. "Who's there?"

He got no response and felt his heart rate pick up. Something was definitely off he thought as he turned and made a quick pace to the reference desk. Buffy would have answered him back, and more importantly, if she had it might be the end of the world because it was 7:20 in the morning and she usually didn't even show up on campus until at earliest 8:45, the chronic teenager that she was.

That in mind Giles grabbed a stake and held it discreetly in his hand. If it were a demon stabbing it would undoubtedly end its existence and he was itching to put some more of his field training to use as he had been idle for the last little while since Buffy had been getting the hang of patrolling by herself.

"I…I'll ask o…once more," Giles called out uncertainly, "Who is there?"

Still nothing. Not even the noise he had picked up before. He released a deep breath and turned… "AHHHHHH!!!!!"

Angel jumped back at the scream and held up his hand to block the stake in case the British man decided to swing in defense. Luckily for him the next thing he heard was the wood clattering to the floor as Giles grabbed his heart.

"Bloody hell…" he muttered through deep breaths.

"Sorry," Angel said without much emotion. "I didn't mean to scare you."

"Well, in that case you failed miserably." Giles bit out harshly as he eyed the man before him. He looked older than the average student that he had dealt with here, which probably meant that he wasn't. "Can I help you?" he asked finally as the other man seemed to be waiting for some type of cue.

Angel looked around the library, his eyes finally resting on the book that Giles had left on the table in the middle of the room and he read the title. _The Book of Kamerana_, infamous for its prophecies. "You know."

Giles' brow furrowed. "I know what?"

"What's coming. You know."

The Watcher narrowed his eyes. The dark clothes. The cryptic statements. The hair gel. This was the man that Buffy had mentioned to him, had described as a vampire. Giles took a step back cursing the fact that he had dropped his weapon and glanced out of the corner of his eye to the bright morning sun outside. How?

"Buffy told you about me, I assume?" Angel grinned a little at the other mans slow and steady retreat. He looked almost as if he were expecting an attack.

"Yes," Giles nodded. "She may have mentioned…" he was at the desk again and he reached down into a drawer quickly pulling out a cross and raising it to the vampire's face.

Angel growled low in his throat and recoiled at the move before collecting himself. "Then she must have told you that I'm a friend." He still kept his distance.

"She said that you were a vampire. Hardly a friend." The Watcher spat coldly.

"Look," Angel breathed out holding up his hands in surrender. "I'm not risking my life to hurt her." He watched as a degree of acceptance dawned on Giles' face. "If I ad wanted her dead she'd already be in the ground."

Giles hackled his defenses again at the comment. "You have been following her…"

"Protecting her." Angel corrected. "And her little friend."

The Brit approached him while still keeping up his guard at the mention of Xander. "I had cautioned her against this…" he muttered to himself.

"Against what?"

"Of the dangers of revealing her world to her peers." Giles said shaking his head, "If you know that he is aware of her destiny than others most likely do as well."

"You're more right than you know." Angel relaxed as Giles lowered the cross to his side. "But your Slayer informed me that if anything happened to him I'd be held personally responsible.

Giles smirked to himself momentarily as he could imagine Buffy threatening the demon – probably much in the same way that she had done to him, but then refocused. "I didn't catch your name."

"Angel."

"Angel…" Giles thought to himself for a moment before filing the name away for future research. "What is it? What's coming?"

The vampire steadied his shoulders and kept a steady tone. "The Master."

"Yes, well..." Giles tilted his and snatched up the book he had been reading to hold it in front of Angel's face. "I had gathered that. Please do tell me that you didn't brave the sunlight to inform me of common knowledge."

The vampire's expression didn't waiver. "It wasn't so much braving anything. You'd be surprised what decent cloaking and this town's complicated sewer system can do for a mobile vampire."

Traveling by way of sewer. Dear Lord…" Giles cringed at the thought that even at the height of noon nobody in the town was really safe. "Please do get to your point."

Angel nodded and jumped back into what information he had come across. "A group of vampires…they plan on taking over the Hellmouth and they're going to raise their Leader to do it. They need bodies."

"Minions?" Giles questioned unsurely. There had not been a dramatic spike in death rates that would suggest that.

"Yes. And more. They need the bodies…the blood and a lot of it."

"Yes," the Watcher nodded as the clues finally dawned on him. "Blood shall flow by way of the Vessel and the power shall unlock the Gates of Hell and he shall rise…" he read aloud.

"Tonight." Angel filled in getting Giles' attention. 

"Tonight?" 

"Yes."

"This text says nothing about…"

"The moon shall rise in its third phase," Angel recited from memory, "And the world will welcome him. The sun will set at its final dusk and hell will be reborn to earth. Ever read _The Gorlid_ _Annals_?"

"Dear God," Giles breathed out. "Of all the months to skim…"

"Demon Lore of the month club?" Angel questioned.

"Yes."

"You subscribe?" 

Giles nodded, "Yes well…"

"Did you choose the phone?"

"Calendar actually…" he shrugged and Angel nodded briefly.

"I'm here to help her." The vampire reiterated seriously.

Giles eyed the taller darkly cloaked man, squinting to read his eyes at the gravity in his tone. He was telling the truth. The vampire was telling the truth about wanting to protect the Slayer. But why? How? He should have no concept of the truth or loyalty or… Giles studied him further. Eyes determined but sad, his posture and tone reflecting the same degree of defeat and it simply wasn't possible. What Giles saw reflected from the demon when he spoke of Buffy couldn't be fact because it just wasn't possible. "Why are you doing this?" he asked.

"Redemption." The vampire spoke clearly, and then waited a breath, "I had hoped to keep her out of this…" he said again uncomfortably.

Giles furrowed his brow. "That is hardly a feasible option," he let out a harsh laugh. "She is the Slayer – destined to fight the fight…this fight precisely."

"I don't think that she's ready for them…"

"For who exactly?" 

Angel released an unnecessary breath. "The Vessel that the book spoke of…he's here, he's big. I know Darla is here. She…" Angel trailed off unsure of weather or not to reveal what the female vampire was responsible for. If Giles knew and told Buffy that she would be present tonight the Slayer would go in with all guns blazing – and she wouldn't be spared. "I've heard of one more." He said instead. "They might have gathered an army and done it in a hurry…"

Giles nodded. "I'll check for recent missing persons."

"And absences from school today," Angel filled in gravely. "They would have wanted the young strong ones…the most gullible. There's not a lot of time."

"Yes…" Giles mumbled while heading over to get a book from him private collection in hopes of finding more information. 

"And I know that she has to be there," Angel spoke again. "Which is why I came. If we all go together, she'll have strength in numbers…"

"Be where, exactly?" Giles nodded as he faced the demon.

Angel lowered his gaze. "I don't know. All I know is that it has to be crowded…"

"Crowded on a Friday night?" Giles wondered out loud. "The Mall?"

"Maybe," Angel shrugged.

~*~*~*~

"The Bronze?" Xander suggested to Willow hopefully as the made their way through the quad. He had been wanting to broach another 'date like, but not so much' excursion with Buffy and tonight seemed as good a time as any. Plus if he gathered a group it could curb any awkwardness.

Willow's face lit up, "Oh! Ok, we could do that."

"Sure you're not busy with Perc?" Xander prodded with a sly grin.

Willow turned beet red but spoke anyway, shrugging of his implications. "No. In fact I haven't spoken to him since yesterday afternoon. He didn't even call…"

"So you guys talk every night now?" the dark haired boy asked with raised eyebrows. "Getting pretty serious…"

"No." Willow denied but maintained a secret smile. "It's weird, that's all…I mean, it's me…and he likes it like that…"

"Why wouldn't he?" Xander asked confused as he plopped down on a cement slabbed bench and scanned the area.

"Because it's me." Willow said simply and watched as her friend's eyes roved over the crowd of students. "He could have anybody here…Cordelia, Harmony, that girl with the nose job and the cleft chin, which I would have gotten fixed first…but he picked me…"

Xander nodded only half paying attention. "There's nothing wrong with you."

Willow raised a skeptical eyebrow. "You've been one of the girls for WAY to long, Auto Response Boy."

Xander blushed and ran his hand through his hair. "Seriously. I mean it, Wills. You're great."

Willow swallowed at his complement and forced herself not to read too much into it. "So," she changed the subject, "Speaking of the girls, where's Number 1?"

She could easily file Xander's comments under friendly politeness at the speed of his response. "Oh, Buff had cheerleading practice this morning, but she was late so she probably is finishing up some laps…"

Willow watched him with wide eyes.

"And I answered scarily fast huh?"

"That'd be a pos." Willow answered with a laugh. "Is that why the sudden urge to Bronze it?"

"What?"

"I'm not looking to third wheel…"

"What?" Xander asked again and his mind worked for a cover. There was nothing like two friends in a group of three that were 'in like' to ruin a high school experience, and Xander really didn't want to be the one to do that to Willow. "Naw…I mean, yeah, we'd all be there, but as three…separates. You know, have a coke, see the sights, listen to the music. Friday night is Dingoes night." He finished brightly.

Willow seemed to accept his answer as she started speaking again. "Did I tell you their bassist was me and Percy's waiter a that restaurant?"

"No," Xander shook his head, happy for another opportunity to zone out. He wished Buffy would hurry up so he could tell her what the plan was for the night. "Oz is pretty cool. Didn't know he had a real job."

"You know him?" she tried to sound more ambiguous that normal. It wasn't that she was really interested, it was just…he had a band. That was pretty cool.

"Oh, yeah." Xander shrugged not picking up on her more casual tone. "I've seen him around; we don't go bowling together or anything… he's a good guy. Laid back."

Willow nodded.  "Oh look," she said suddenly, tired of the vacant look on Xander's eyes. "There's Buffy," she pointed over his shoulder, "And she's not wearing anything."

Xander's head snapped around so fast he almost fell off his seat, but then calmed when he heard the redhead laughing at him. "Not funny," he pouted slightly. I could have hurt myself…"

"Gotten whiplash," Willow laughed. "You've got it bad." She was trying once again to speak in a dismissive manner. She hated that all she could do about the situation was joke about Xander's real feelings for the girl that wasn't her.

"I do not…" he defended weakly. "I just…nakedness leads to an increase in colds."

"And you'd rush over to keep her warm before that would happen."

Xander's face glazed over momentarily. "That's what friends are for," he smirked and leered towards Willow.

~*~*~*~

Buffy spotted Xander and Willow from across the quad. They were laughing and joking…and Xander said something and leaned in…

She couldn't control the way her eyes slit at the scene as she started towards the pair. She didn't know why she had the sudden urge to sit right between them, or maybe write he name in permanent marker across Xander's forehead. It wasn't like everybody in the school _had to have Xander Harris, like he was God's gift to women. But when one did, Buffy hated it. It wasn't even a recent development, even when she had been dating Scott she hadn't liked the idea of Xander going out with other girls, but now she felt more of a claim on him. He had no right to sit that close to…_

"Buffy!!!"

God. the blonde sighed and turned to face the voice, putting on a bright smile before doing so. "Hey Cordelia. Great practice…"

The brunette immediately interrupted her. "Whatever…"

"Well, thanks for the ride this morning," Buffy tried. She really hated this girl, and the worst part was pretending not to. Well, no. The worst part was what was coming. Cordelia Chase didn't do you a favor for nothing.

"About that." She said as if on cue and offering a sweet smile. "You're not busy tonight right? I mean, I know you were only going to loaf with the town lepers, but…"

"Actually," Buffy cut her off snidely. "I was probably going to go to the Bronze…"

"Great!!" Cordelia exclaimed, probably from an excess of cheer pep from earlier Buffy assumed. "You can come with me."

"I can?!" Buffy squealed sarcastically. "Thank God, and here I thought I would have to socialize with people I like."

The head cheerleader rolled her eyes and waved her hand dismissively. "Listen Buffy. I gave you a ride this morning to save your ass. I could have driven by, but no. I decided to help the less fortunate and fashionably challenged. You owe me."

Buffy was seething as she ran her hands self consciously over her short off pink dress. She liked this one… "I would have walked just fine. And taken the laps to avoid having to…"

"Jeff wants you to go." Cordelia spoke up. "It's a thing he's trying to organize…we'll all go to the Bronze and wait for his parents to leave then he's having a little get together at his place."

"Little to nothing to do with me." Buffy pointed out as she tried to step around the taller girl.

Cordelia side stepped to stop her. "You know what Buffy?" she asked starring into the blonde's eyes. "I don't know why you think that by hanging around with the socially comatose you can pretend that you're not one of us?"

"Us?"

"You're popular Buffy. Well," she amended. "You can be. There's potential, and I know you want to act on it."

Buffy sighed and glanced towards the laughing Xander and Willow. She wasn't like Cordelia, she had a heart. Just because they lived in the same neighborhood, had went to the same school since kindergarten, did the same activities and like the same things…just because they had been friends before a long LONG time ago, didn't make them alike now. 

"Just show tonight… Expand your horizons. You might like it."

Buffy rolled her eyes. "I hate Jeff."

"You owe me."

"I don't get why you need me." Buffy whined a little. "You go with your mini-yous, and me and Xander will have our own fun."

Cordelia raised a confused eyebrow at the statement and Buffy sputtered to backpeddle. "With Willow…"

The tall girl's brow furrowed. 

"Not threesome fun. Fun at the Bronze. No other type of fun…between anybody. Ever." Buffy nodded sharply.

"Jeff said that I should just ask you to show…"

"So it's just you me and Jeff?" Buffy snorted. "We couldn't by any chance play Russian Rolette? I'll go first."

"No," the brunette bit out. "Jeff asked for you to show, and I said that you would…"

Buffy opened her mouth to protest being spoken for but Cordelia kept talking. 

"And then Scott, Larry, Braxton, me, Blue and Unique. It's a group thing."

"It's a four way date!" Buffy exclaimed with wide eyes. "With Jeff Broderick!!! And Scott Hope! No. There's no way…"

"Buffy please." Cordelia pleaded, but then seemed to remember who she was. "That's the only time you're ever going to hear that phrase from me, so you know that I _need_ you to do this."

Buffy still looked skeptical. 

"Winter Fest is coming up and Braxton could ask me. Do you know what that means?" she tried to reason. "And your loser friends'll probably be within shouting distance anyway."

Buffy huffed out a breath. If there was one person in all the world who could beat her in getting her way, she was facing off with her. The master of stubbornness and the leader of the spoiled brat. "Fine." Buffy shook her head defeated. "I'm in. I'll try to be done by 9."

"Be done what?" Cordelia questioned confused. "You don't have anything more important that a date with Jeff, I know. I've glimpsed into the shambles that have become your life."

Buffy slit her eyes again. "And I'm tip toeing into the brothel that is yours. And it's not a date."

"Whatever."

"Just give me till nine." Buffy told her. 

"8:30," Cordelia settled. "Alright," she said quickly before Buffy could argue. "I'll see you then…and don't wear that purple thing. Purple is Blue's color, yours is black. Stick to it."

"Stick to it." Buffy mimicked at the other girls back before dropping her head and stalking towards her friends – her real friends. "Lucky for her I do look hot in black."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The End Part 14B


	16. Before the Fall of Rome Part 14c

Title: Before the Fall of Rome (14c/?)

Author: Brooke 

Email: yabbadabbadome13@yahoo.com 

Rating: R

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. I wished I owned the two Xanders' from "The Replacement" though. Buffy and friends are owned by Joss, Mutant Enemy, 20th Century Fox, The UPN and whoever else has rights to the show. 

Summary: You remember all that crap that started post-puberty…yeah, it's great isn't it. It was when life started

Distribution: I don't know why anybody would want this, but if somebody does…sure. 

Feedback: Definitely!! Tell me if it sucked or if you liked it. Whatever. Just write back!

Authors Note: Takes place in an AU season 1 where Buffy and Xander are best friends and Willow is the new girl as Sunnydale High. It is the beginning of their sophomore year and, as 15 and 16 year olds, hormones and feelings are taking center stage.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Buffy reached the bench that Willow and Xander were seated in and flung herself wearily over her male friends shoulder with a loud exhale of breath.

"Buff?" he smirked through the limited movement her position afforded. "You ok?" He tried to conceal his shudder at the feel of her breath on his neck, and then to hide his choke on breath when he felt Buffy's lips press lightly onto the column of his neck, discreetly hidden by her shielded position behind her loose hair.

Willow let the conversation that they had been having drop and watched Xander focus on Buffy. She was unable to help but notice how he had raised his left hand and was now stroking the back of the blonde's neck as he spoke softly. 

"Yeah, Buff," she spoke up in secret hopes of ruining the moment that they seemed to be having. "What's the sitch?"

Buffy pulled herself upright and shuffled around the bench to face them. "You have no idea about the morning I've had. It's like Satan decided to poop on my day."

"Well," Xander piped up, "I got the perfect cure for that…the Glade Spray of life, if you will."

Willow giggled at his rapid speech and wiggling eyebrows while Buffy continued to watch him skeptically. "You've got a time machine? Can you take me back to 1980 and let me advise Cordelia's parents about the miracles of birth control," she sighed hopefully.

Xander shook his head but maintained his smile. "Sadly no, BUT I can offer cover charge for the Bronze. That is if the lady accepts." He bowed from his seated position, both he and Buffy oblivious to Willow's fallen look.

"I don't know Buff," the redhead spoke up, itching to get into the conversation. "He hasn't even offered you his seat, what kind of gentleman is that?"

Buffy nodded in consideration. "Touché Wills. Point taken. I think for that he owes two Bronze covers…and lattes."

"What are you trying to do, break me?" Xander tossed in a harsh, but playful whisper to Willow. "Plus," he turned to Buffy and made it obvious that he was checking her out, "She's got strong legs…I'm really only helping her keep in shape."

Willow laughed at Buffy's shocked and offended expression more than the actual comment and was almost forced off the bench when Xander shoved himself aside quickly to avoid the slap she landed on his shoulder. 

"Don't look at me like that perv." Buffy joked and hit him again.

"Didn't hear that compliant last night," Xander laughed back. The silence that followed was almost painful as all three froze and shifted nervously from their respective positions. 

Willow had no idea what had happened to the previous comfortable atmosphere, but she figured that she needed to help them all get back to it. She knew that Xander's playful flirting was, pretty much, as common as having homeroom at 8:25, but she had no idea why it had been enough this time to stop all the banter dead in its tracks. It was as if… No. she shook her head. There was no way they were uncomfortable because of the truth the joke might hold, was there? No.

"So," Willow spoke up after a swallow, and it seemed Xander was glad for the distraction. "Are we all hitting the Bronze on Xander's dime?"

"I can't tonight you guys," Buffy shook her head. "Hence the massive sucking of this day."

Xander titled his head to her, "You can't? What are you gonna…"

"Why does everybody assume that I've never got anything to do?!" Buffy exclaimed defensively. "I have a life."

Xander spoke again without thinking, "With me." He caught his slip and added, "You only hang out with us." He gestured between himself and Willow.

"I'll have you know that I have plenty of other friends," Buffy pouted while Xander fixed her with a disbelieving expression.

"Mr. Giles doesn't count." Willow piped up absently and Buffy shot her a glare.

Inside the Slayer was cringing. Even Willow had noticed the amount of time she spent in the library – she had noticed it enough to crack jokes about it. "I have cheerleading friends…"

"Cordelia?!" Both of her friends exclaimed at the same time.

"Fine! Acquaintances…people who I know of…Whatever!"

Xander nodded, "So what does this have to do with you taking me up on my offer tonight?"

"Well…" Buffy shifted on her feet. "Cordelia wants me to go with her and some other guys from the squad."

"New friends?!" Willow said with mock surprise. "Why I never…"

"Guys?" Xander spoke instead. "What guys?"

"Girls too," Buffy offered. "Coed…"

Xander huffed out a breath and squinted at his blonde friend. "So you're blowing me off?"

"Us off," Willow tried to keep her tone light as a contrast to the seriousness she heard in Xander's. 

Buffy's expression looked apologetic as she spoke. "You guys can come too," she assured Xander. "I just…she wants me to hang out with her and her friends…"

"Like?" Xander prodded. Buffy was dancing around the question he was posing and he knew it. 

The Slayer exhaled knowing that he wouldn't like the answer. She shouldn't not be able to tell him – it was just hard and now she had this nervous pit in her stomach derived from his tone alone. She didn't want to hurt him, and even more than that she didn't want to hear his disappointed voice directed at her. "It's gonna be me, Jeff, Larry, Blue, Brax and Cordy and Unique and Scott…"

"Oh!" Xander exclaimed as all in complete disbelief. "So everybody I've ever met is going?" 

"Xander…"

"No, no. I get it." He turned towards a confused Willow and laughed bitterly. "We're just not good enough I guess…not with the in crowd?" He directed the last part to Buffy.

"What's the matter Xander?" Willow spoke up before Buffy could. "It's not like we've been banned from the club." Xander rolled his eyes, "She'll be there." Willow bit out the last bit, and Buffy nodded as if oblivious to the harsh tone her friend spoke in.

"Jeff?" he asked in a calmer voice, but still bitter. Buffy hated him…everybody with half a brain hated Jeff. Now it seemed, though, that Xander would have to kill him. It had been only last night when that ass hole had tried to get him to set up a date with Buffy, and Xander had vehemently refused. Jeff, that sneaky bastard, had taken matters into his own hands and Buffy, and hell, even Cordelia, had no idea. And Xander didn't even want to get into Scott…

"I know," Buffy nodded sadly. "But you know how Cordy can be," she offered, "And she gave me a ride this morning…"

"I would've given you a ride." Xander pouted and mumbled.

"You don't have a car." Willow pointed out. "The point of the ride was to get here on time…" Xander shot her a look. "I'm just saying…that all…"

"And Scott?" Xander pressed.

Willow's brow furrowed as she noticed the students begin to file inside the school in preparation for the first bell. "That's a little shady, huh?" she pointed out. "Those guys are all your friends and you weren't invited."

Xander nodded at her observation, "But look who it is. From the looks of that group it makes perfect sense."

"Well, yeah. But still…"

"Guys," Buffy waved her hand rapidly in front of the chatting pair to gain their attention. "I think you might be talking about me so I feel obligated to point out that I'm still standing here."

Xander gave her a little grin but then turned back to Willow, obviously trying to annoy his life time friend on purpose. "They don't want me there…I'm so gonna kick Jeff's ass, I told him last night…"

"What?" Buffy asked again, trying to enter the conversation.

"It makes perfect sense." Willow agreed. "And Scott. He only hangs out with us for Buffy."

"And I'm totally against that," Buffy nodded.

"And he and Jeff and the male Thelma and Louise." Xander pointed out, "They do everything together."

Buffy's brow furrowed as Xander tossed her a look at the end of his statement. "What was that look?!"

"No look," Xander shrugged, finally acknowledging her.

"That was a look…and it followed a questionable comment. What are you saying…"

"NOTHING!" Xander shook his head. "I'm not saying anything…just…don't you think it's wired that I'm not invited?"

"Maybe a little…" Buffy looked at the ground as the bell sounded behind her.

"You think Jeff's going to ask her to Winter Fest?" Willow asked with wide eyes.

Xander's eyes darkened, "I know for a fact that he is…"

"Waitwaitwait." Buffy held up her hands. "Let's not count all our eggs in the basket."

Willow gazed at her confused. "Before they're hatched?"

"Whatever." Buffy shrugged while Willow stood up next to her, preparing to go inside. "The point is he had to beg for this date…"

"Date?" Xander questioned again.

"Undate…This thing Cordelia tied me into…he couldn't even ask me for himself." Buffy extended her hand to a skeptical Xander who grasped it and let himself be pulled to his feet. "And if he would have asked me himself, the answer would have been a resounding 'When Hell freezes over'."

Xander laughed and moved behind the girls. He placed his hands on Buffy's shoulders and pushed her in time with his steps towards the entrance of the school and Willow watched the easy smiles on both of their faces. 

Something was different, she settled. Something about the way they were acting, touching…just looking at each other. Part of her was screaming to find out. She slowed her pace to let them enter before her as Xander was still stirring his smaller friend around their fellow students. But a bigger part was afraid to know what may be the truth.

"Well," Buffy sighed as she broke Xander's grasp and let his hands fall to his sides when they reached her locker. "I've got a book to return…"

"A book?" Willow questioned, having been shaken from her thoughts and Buffy pouted a little. "No," Willow quickly defended herself, "I mean…I think you can read. I've just never…never seen you actually do it."

Xander nodded in mock agreement and this time was punched lightly, or so she thought, in the shoulder for his facial expression.

"So you're skipping homeroom?" Willow asked, "Again?"

Buffy shrugged remembering the previous morning with a slight grin, but quickly disguised it with a cough when she saw Willow starring at her. Xander, on the other hand, was free to grin pridefully to himself all he wanted. 

"Well," Xander shrugged, "Late fees are a bitch."

Buffy nodded quickly. "I haveta motor," she started down the hall towards the library. "See you at second, Wills."

"You want me to come with?" Xander called out after her hopefully and Buffy stopped in her tracks. He could see her considering before she seemed to remember Willow standing next to him and shook her head. 

"Nah, I got it. Later for sure."

Xander smiled at her and nodded. "Later then."

"Oh, Wills," Buffy turned again, "Try to pass me off for homeroom, pretty please."

Willow nodded before Buffy turned and jogged down the hall.

"Later?" the redhead questioned Xander with a raised eyebrow.

Xander gulped. "Yeah…later to check out another book," he replied quickly before turning himself and starting down the hall again. He wished Buffy would have let him go with her because Willow was a veritable Nancy Drew when she smelled a conspiracy. 

Willow followed his quick steps and caught up with his before speaking again. "She likes to read huh?"

"Loves it." Xander nodded as he slid into a desk near the back of the room. "Hey," he spoke up in an attempt to change the subject, "Did you get the History notes yest…"

"She needs a gym bag for the library?"

Xander gulped again, "Yesterday." He tried to refocus the redhead. "I missed it…"

"Yeah," Willow nodded going into her bag and pulling out her note book for him. "You and Buffy both did."

Xander tried to conceal his nervousness but failed as he pushed himself up form the desk and tripped over his bag on the floor. He snatched up the notebook and tried to get down the aisle. "I'm gonna go photo copy," he stuttered and turned, this time smacking right into Jeff as he entered the room.

"Hey Harris." The other boy grinned in his face before stepping around him and heading for a desk. "Missed you last night, man."

Xander glared at him and opened his mouth to speak, but then heard Willow add. "At the library?" To which he nodded while keeping his glare focused on Jeff while he laughed with a few other members of the swim team. "Tell Buffy I said I'll see her in English."

Xander nodded to Willow briefly and turned, bumping out of the door. That was too close.

~*~*~*~

"Sorry I'm late Giles," Buffy was speaking as soon as she passed through the swinging wooden doors of the library. "I was on my way and…"

The Slayer trailed off as she spotted her Watcher perched on the edge of the table pouring over books with…

"Angel." Buffy whispered in more of an intrigued than annoyed tone and the vampire stood to face her. 

"Buffy." He watched her cautiously as she approached the center of the room where he stood and dropped her bag on the way.

Her tone had change the next time she spoke, and Buffy was sure to project how she was supposed to feel about the undead. "So now I can't even catch a break in the day?" She stepped around the vampire, who dropped his gaze to the floor and followed the movement of her feet. "What's the what Giles? I thought I had till at least 5 before I had to submit to the life of the chronically stalked."

Giles shut his book and placed it on the table beside him before addressing the teenager. He didn't know all he wanted to about the demon who had appeared to help,  but he was, in fact, there to help. They had gathered a surprising amount of information about what was to come. "Angel came to me about the Harvest…"

"So you two are best buds now?" Buffy questioned and crossed her arms over her chest.

"No," Giles knit his brow and shook his head. "He was just concerned…"

"I don't want his concern." Buffy interrupted as if Angel weren't even in the room. She turned quickly to face the vampire and he rose his face to meet her movement. "I don't want your concern."

"Buffy…"

"He's a vampire Giles. A _vampire_. They're evil…soulless…"

"I'm not." Angel spoke up. "I'm not like the others."

Giles looked at how the man was watching the Slayer, an immortal being almost pleading with a teenager for acceptance. He watched as his Slayer kept her guard despite her probable witnessing of the same thing, she remained indifferent through it all. It was probably a good thing too, that Buffy was so cold to him…

"I believe him, Buffy." Giles spoke. 

She whirled on him. "You believe him?! He's a killer. Killer's manipulate a…and lie…and kill, Giles!"

"I haven't done that in years." Angel told her. "I…I want to help…"

"Why?" Buffy demanded of him. "Why are you doing this? I don't need you and I don't trust you, so why do you insist…"

"I have a soul Buffy." He told her forcefully. "I'm just like you only I have to repay for what I've done…"

"That's not possible." Giles breathed. "Vampires…"

"I want to repay by helping you." Angel kept speaking, tilting his head and gazing into her eyes. Buffy was silent as she seemed to be content to listen to what he was saying. Listen to a vampire unlike any she had ever encountered with a shocked expression on her face. "You're going to save the world Buffy," Angel told her now standing at full height to confront her, "I'd like to be there when you do."

Buffy looked at him in silence and then turned towards her Watcher. "Can that happen Giles?" she asked in a low voice. "Can a vampire have a human soul?"

Giles sputtered for her answer, but the Slayer had turned back to Angel before he could answer. "I'd have to believe that it can," he whispered in awe.

"And you want to help me?" Buffy asked the demon in human form, studying his face for truth before he even answered. That was what was in his eyes…that was what had kept him alive this far. Buffy smiled secretly to herself at the concept. A vampire with a soul.

"Yes."

Surely a valuable ally gained in such a simple response. "I didn't know Slayers had partners…"

"Partners?" Angel let his mouth crack into a half smile while the Slayer worked to correct herself. 

"A back-up team." She said quickly.

Giles stood and approached them, forming a triangle of people in front of the table. "I do supposed he can hold his own," he pointed out.

Buffy nodded. "Good. One less life I have to save…"

"The other is of your own accord." Angel bit out in a sudden change of mood.

Buffy slit her eyes at the vampire again, facing him squarely. "If we're going to work together you leave Xander out of this."

"I wish I could have told you the same thing." The vampire fired.

"He needed to know to save his life." She stated firmly.

"His or yours? It all seems a bit selfish…"

Buffy's chin shook with anger. How dare this creature come into her life and judge her. "At least now I have a dispensable tag along."

"Way I see it, you have two then."

"I think," Giles interrupted to Angel before Buffy could speak again. The childish quipping was more that he could handle, and less than he expected from an adult demon cohort. "We should inform her of the Harvest."

Angel nodded and turned back to the table to pick up the book. "Long story short of it," e told Buffy, "They're going to try to raise the Master tonight."

"Why don't you give me the long version." She blurted out.

Giles nodded while Angel slit his eyes at the girl. "It's called the Harvest."

"And it's to…"

"Raise the Master," Angel spoke up. "The lead vampire that will come when the gates of Hell are opened."

Buffy nodded, "Mmm…any old friends gonna show, Ang?" she asked sweetly. "Any blonds who may have…"

"You'll be there." He cut her off before she could finish.

"I'm not a friend." She told him coldly. "But I am looking out for mine." Angel nodded. "This is going down tonight?"

Both the Watcher and vampire nodded and Buffy let out an exasperated sigh. "Any chance it'll be done by eight?" she asked hopefully, shooting doe eyes at Giles.

Angel rolled his eyes at her and set down the book. "The salvation of the world is more important that you playing kissy face with the boy…"

Buffy felt her blood boil. Every comment the demon made seemed to be a dig on either Xander or her or the both of them and she didn't appreciate it. "The salvation thing is your deal, isn't it? You're just here to ride on my coattails…And I'm not going to play 'kissy face'," she told him as if it were any of his business. "I was going to go out with some friends."

"Well," Angel sighed. "Change of plans."

"We shall work to figure out where this will happen." Giles cut in, "All we know is that these vampires who are involved need quite a few bodies to open the gates. The Master will gain his strength through the one the call the Vessel."

"So I kill him and the whole things off, right?"

"Simply put," Angel told her. "But it's not so easy. The Vessel is strong. And we don't know where he's going to be."

Buffy rolled her eyes at him and opened her mouth to speak, but then turned to see the library doors swinging behind a confused looking Xander. "I had to photo copy something…"

"Library's closed." Angel growled as the boy fixed his gaze on Buffy.

Xander smirked at the other man whom he recognized from the hospital the night Jesse died. "But I couldn't help overhearing…" He meandered towards the group under the intense gaze of Angel and Giles, until he was standing next to Buffy. 

"You didn't overhear much," Buffy told him over her shoulder. "He's just sitting her fonting nothing."

Angel dropped his eyes to the floor again but Giles spoke. He didn't have time for the insipient ping pong match of love and love lost between these children…and they were _all_ children. "As I assume that you're going to be involved in this Mr. Harris," he gathered since the young boy had taken to shadowing Buffy in the presence of Angel. "We are simply trying to find out…"

"You said they need a lot of people." Xander interrupted.

"Yeah," Angel shrugged. "And they probably need…"

"Where do kids flock to on a Friday night?" the teenaged boy turned to Buffy with a confident look in his eyes. He got momentarily distracted by the sound of a low growl that cam from Angel's direction and narrowed his eyes suspiciously for a moment.

"The Bronze." Buffy interrupted his thoughts. "They're going to the Bronze."

"And so are we." Angel settled and tossed the book back down to the table. "I'll go gather some weapons and bring them back here."

"Weapons?" Xander piped up hopefully.

"No," Buffy shook her head. "Not for you. You're door duty." She softened at the disappointed look the settled over Xander's features. "I just don't want you getting hurt," she whispered to him and leaned into his side. 

Xander turned away from her slightly but Buffy followed his movement. "I want you there Xander. I do. But if anything happened to you…"

Xander dropped his gaze and met Buffy's pleading eyes. "Door duty," he said tight lipped. "I'm on it."

"Okay," Angel said loudly to break the moment. "We got the fighters…and the backup." He added to Xander, "I'm going to go stock up."

Xander and Buffy watched the man turn and move fluidly back to the stack from where he had emerged earlier that morning. "There's no door up there?" Xander questioned, glancing back and forth between his friend and her Watcher.

"Does anybody else _really_ hate that guy?" Buffy asked out loud.

Xander didn't answer, but instead just looked confused at where the man had disappeared. "There's no door up there."

"Why don't you two head back to class," Giles shook his head at the wreckage that the line of Slayers had been reduced to. A Slayer with a social life, family, friends, a vampire helper…

Buffy nodded and grabbed Xander's arm, pulling him slowly towards the entrance. 

"And do fill him in so that people won't think that he's suffered mental damage." Giles added behind them. "Although I fear it might be too late."

Xander turned and shot the man a glare, but then nodded his head. "Good one."

Giles nodded in congratulations to himself. "I was, wasn't it?"

"Quality." Buffy said dismissively. "I'll be back after school to train." She called back over her shoulder as she continued to drag the boy along.

Giles nodded and watched the doors swing shut behind the two friends. "They are the strangest children."

~*~*~

Xander let Buffy guide him in silence until they turned the corner and were out if sight of the library. "So," he prodded, a little more than confused at what was going on. "Why was Angel…"

"Do you have a particular attachment to Algebra?" she cut him off and whirled hopefully to face him.

"No," Xander shook his head. "In fact, I'd go as far as to say that I hate him, and would like to see that character dead." He smiled at her giggle and noticed that she had yet to release his hand. In fact Buffy had taken to swinging it back and forth between them. "Why?"

"I'm just not in a class place right now," Buffy bit her bottom lip and glanced at their hands before tugging him further down the hall while still facing him.

Xander glance over her shoulder and recognized one of the familiar utility closets that the school had obviously had put in because they could see how useful they would be to him one day and smiled. "I'm guessing you're not going to explain now then?" Not that he had a problem with that – right now. He supposed it could wait a few more hours…

Buffy shook her head negative. "Later?"

The dark haired boy raised his eyebrows as they reached the destination that neither of them had directly discussed. "Well…alright."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The End Part 14c


	17. Before the Fall of Rome Part 14d

Title: Before the Fall of Rome (14d/?)

Author: Brooke 

Email: yabbadabbadome13@yahoo.com 

Rating: R

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. I wished I owned the two Xanders' from "The Replacement" though. Buffy and friends are owned by Joss, Mutant Enemy, 20th Century Fox, The UPN and whoever else has rights to the show. 

Summary: You remember all that crap that started post-puberty…yeah, it's great isn't it. It was when life started

Distribution: I don't know why anybody would want this, but if somebody does…sure. 

Feedback: Definitely!! Tell me if it sucked or if you liked it. Whatever. Just write back!

Authors Note: Takes place in an AU season 1 where Buffy and Xander are best friends and Willow is the new girl as Sunnydale High. It is the beginning of their sophomore year and, as 15 and 16 year olds, hormones and feelings are taking center stage.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Willow was frightened. She actually couldn't breathe for a few moments. It couldn't be possible, what she was listening to Cordelia tell her friends…it couldn't be real.

"Could you believe the nerve of that loser last night?" the head cheerleader said with a disgusted snort to her group.

"I know," Aura spoke glancing up from her nail filing, "Jesse McCormick! He's not even a loser…he's, like, two notches below loser."

"How dare he think he can just grab you like that," Blue recalled the incident while Cordelia nodded.

"Where does he get off…"

Jesse? Willow thought frantically. Jesse…He's…he's de…dead. The red head leant forward slightly, braving the snide comments that were bound to be directed at her from the group of popular girls. "Jesse?" she asked, trying to keep her voice from shaking.

Cordelia's head snapped around to face her and she rolled her eyes. "In my convo much?"

Willow ignored her and pressed again. "You said that Jesse danced with you last night?"

"Not that it's any of your business since I wasn't talking to you," the brunette bit out earning snickers from her crowd. "But, yeah. He came into the Bronze all 'Look at me, now I'm a loser with fashion sense' and told me to dance with him." She turned back to the other cheerleaders. "Can you believe that? He told me, Cordelia Chase, to dance with him.  Does he know who my father…"

"Last night?" Willow interrupted again. 

Cordelia rolled her eyes again and turned to face her again. "Yes. That's what I said."

"He…he…" Willow stuttered for the words ascribed to the painful ordeal. "He died…"

"I TOLD YOU!!!" Aphrodisia exclaimed with wide eyes. "I told you Buffy went to his funeral!"

The sound of the bell ringing signaling the end of first period startled Willow again and she stood up nervously, her hands shaking as she gathered her books. She really wished Buffy and Xander had shown up – but just like before, they were MIA.

She ignored the comments the cheerleaders made as she bumped her way past them to get out of the class room. She didn't have time to care about displacing them – not when they had just told her that her dead friend was walking and talking, apparently reanimated. 

Willow wanted to believe it was a cruel joke. Something constructed because those girls hated Buffy and her friends, but she couldn't buy that. If that were the case, she settled as she walked out of the doors and into the quad, they wouldn't have been so sketchy about including her into the conversation. And, well, none of those girls were smart enough to pull off such an intricate lie. But what else could it be? Who else could it have been? Cordelia had known, or at least been aware of Jesse for the better part of her whole life so she would have recognized him.

Either way she had to find Buffy and Xander. Even if it were a mean spirited joke about their friend they deserved to know from somebody they trusted first. Then they could all put a stop to it, or get the principle involved, or something.

Willow set her direction for the library first. If she couldn't find Buffy in the halls, she always assumed that she was in the library now. She had walked by and spied her through the glass portals in the door enough to bet everything that it was where the blonde girl was, and hopefully once she found her Xander wouldn't be too far behind.

She made her way across the grass, dodging clueless students who were wasting their first free period of the day, while working up explanations as to why everything was all the sudden so freaky here – why everybody she knew had a secret double life and she seemed to be in the dark about it.

"Willow!"

The red head stopped her trek when she heard her name and turned around to the direction she thought it came from. All of the sudden she wished she had turned the other way, had chosen to turn left instead of right, as her head jumped then stopped and sunk to someplace below her stomach. As she turned her head she realized that she didn't have to go all the way to the library; the two who she was looking for were sitting mere yards away from her, and yet, unlike she was of them, they were completely unaware of her existence.

"Willow!" the voice called again and she shook her head to clear her thoughts before tearing her eyes away from Buffy and Xander sitting together on the bench by the fountain.

"Oh, hey Luke," she greeted confused. "What's up?"

The boy stopped in front of her breathing hard. "I've been looking all over for you…"

"Well, did you try class?" Willow offered a somewhat uneasy grin. Even though Percy didn't seem to mind hanging out with her, his friends were just as content to ignore the fact that she even existed, so the fact that he claimed to be looking for her was kinda wig worthy.

Luke offered her a short smile but then dove back into the conversation. "Yeah…have you seen Perc?"

Willow's brow furrowed. "No…not since yesterday afternoon." She was suddenly worried. He hadn't called her last night after he got home from the Bronze like he said he would, and he hadn't called this morning… "Why?"

"He's not here today." Luke told her. "He skipped morning practice. I just thought…"

"Didn't he go out with you guys last night?" she interrupted him. Jesse had shown up from the dead and now Percy was missing…

Something was wrong. Seriously wrong.

"Yeah," Luke nodded. "But he left early…"

Willow's voice dropped to almost a whisper but she tried not to convey the fear that was welling in the pit of her stomach. "I haven't seen him. Did he leave alone?"

"Yeah," Luke nodded. "I think…I don't know…"

"I'll try to call him…maybe go talk to his parents…"

Luke exhaled loudly and nodded. "Cool. Look," he said as he backed away, "If you get a hold of him, tell him Coach is gonna have his ass."

Willow watched him turn and walk away, joining with a few of his team members before heading over to the 'Team Bench'. "If I get a hold of him," she whispered and started back towards Buffy and Xander.

~*~*~

"Me llamo es Alexander…write that down," Xander spoke with his eyes closed against the bright sun.

"You write it down,"' Buffy defied, even as she wrote down the sentence in his notebook.

"You said you would help me with my homework." Xander pouted and opened his eyes a little to squint up at her. 

"I thought you meant like science or something," Buffy spoke down to him, "I don't even take Spanish. AND I didn't think I'd have to write down all your answers…"

Xander shrugged from his reclined position and shut his eyes again. They had mutually decided to ditch the broom closet about half way into first period and headed outside to sit in the sun. They had sat for a grand total of three minutes before Xander had decided to lay down, which was where he was now, resting on his back with his head in Buffy's lap. 

She had taken to occasionally running her fingers through his hair, which he had been enjoying, but didn't want to relish in too much, since his increased enjoyment…well, their combined enjoyment, had been the reason for heading out for a breather in the first place. Luckily Buffy had maintained enough of a level head to avoid taking things too far in the most inappropriate place in the world – outside of her parent's bed, and had, somewhat reluctantly pulled away.

So before Xander could suggest that they head back inside, he pulled it out. His homework. Not what had almost happened in the closet, but actual school books, and asked for her assistance with it. The homework. And Buffy was more than willing. Homework-wise.

Buffy read from the textbook that was resting on her relaxing friend's stomach. "Alright," she sighed. "Number two…"

"Numero dos," Xander said in a deep voice that caused Buffy to giggle.

"Numero dos," she repeated. "Como se llamas tus padres?"

"You have the worst Spanish accent ever." Xander smirked.

Buffy's brow furrowed. "I don't take it…"

"You still live in California," Xander argued. "It's like Mexico junior…"

"No it's not." Buffy pouted. "If anything Mexico is our junior."

"You just think you're better because you take French." Xander explained. "You actually need Spanish, you know."

Buffy shrugged, "Well, I've got you for that. You speak it."

Xander opened his eyes and tilted his head away from the sun a little bit. "You've got me?"

Buffy rolled her eyes. "You know I do," she teased. This was the first time since everything had happened between them, that they had openly appeared so coupley. Buffy had thought it would be weird – just announcing, through actions more than words, that she and Xander were together…sort of. Nothing was official or anything, but, this was making it safe to assume. "You're wrapped around my finger."

Xander shot her a devious smirk. "Hmmmm…I recall it the other way around." He watched Buffy redden to a degree that he had never seen before and she pinched his side through his shirt.

"Owwwww!!" Xander tried to squirm away until she let up. "Don't do that. I bruise."

"If you don't want to bruise don't be gross," she said with humor in her voice. "Now answer the question, so I can stop doing your homework."

"Why?" Xander yawned. "What's your hurry? Going to third period?"

"Yes." Buffy said with more conviction than necessary. "You can't make me skip all my classes."

"It's always your idea." Xander disagreed. "I said: 'Hey that's the beuurrgghh…'; and the mumbled part was your tongue back in my throat."

Buffy pinched him again, but Xander smiled through it this time. She leant over his face a little. "You're just kissable, that's all."

"Am I now?" Xander cocked an eyebrow. "You gonna back that up, in public and all?"

"Nope," Buffy chirped and sat back up. She closed Xander's notebook and slip it into his back pack behind her. 

"Well, Tease," Xander relaxed back into her lap. "Am I dateable.?"

"Hmmmm…" Buffy chewed on her lower lip while he watched her. "I guess."

"You guess?"

"You need a hair cut." She reasoned. "You're too scruffy for me…"

Xander sent her a devious smirk, "Give you something to hold onto."

Another pinch followed. "You're too, what's the word here…"

"Handsome?"

"Moronic." Buffy settled. "And sophomoric."

"I am a sophomore." Xander said with a grin. "I'm allowed to be. So," he pressed, "I'm not dateable as is?"

Buffy shook her head no but kept her joking grin in place.

"But Jeff is?"

"Jeff asked…sorta."

"So, all I'd have to do is ask?" Xander questioned.

Buffy shrugged. "It's a step."

"Well," Xander sighed. "I think I already asked and you said you had a date with somebody else…"

"Then don't ask," Buffy shrugged. "No loss to me."

"Fine." Xander shrugged and shut his eyes. "I won't."

"Good."

"Fine."

"Yeah." Buffy brought her hand back to his hair and began twisting it between her fingers, making it stand up. "And for the record, you, me and Willow were going to the Bronze. That's not a date anyway. That's how we usually go."

Xander spoke with his eyes closed. "I asked Willow to bring that guy Oz. It was gonna be a double."

"You can't trick a girl into a date."

"Jeff did."

"Jeff's a prick." 

Xander nodded. "Doesn't matter anyway. We've got bigger fish to fry tonight."

Buffy kept her eyes focused on his hair, "Yep. No time for dates. We've gotta keep Hell from coming to Earth."

Xander opened his eyes at the emotionless sound of her voice. "You're not wigged about that? I mean, it sounds big. Bigger than big."

"We're going to beat them." Buffy said confidently. "We're going to win because I'm the best." Xander watched her pep talk to herself as she spoke to him. "They've said it too. First this vamp at that house I went to, and then Angel…"

"How would Angel know?" Xander asked immediately. "He trails all Slayers offering them a hand?"

Buffy looked him in the eyes and held his gaze. "No," she said quietly, "From what he told me, I'm lucky." He just kept looking at her waiting for the elaboration. "Angel…he…"

"What's the matter?" Xander tried to smile. "Does he bite or something?" His smile died when he saw the serious expression on her face. "There wasn't a door up there," he whispered. "He's one of them?"

Buffy nodded. "He's…he's a vampire…"

"Isn't it your job to stake him then?! Why is he still…"

Buffy cut him off before he could freak out more. If anything knew how to kill a good mood, it seemed to be Angel. "He said he has a soul…he wants to help…"

Xander looked into her eyes, trying to read how she was feeling. "You knew before then right? The night…the night at the hospital?"

Buffy nodded.

"Those things killed Jess and you let him live?" Xander moved to sit up, needing to face her to have this conversation, but Buffy moved her arm around his chest and pushed him back down.

"He can help Xander." Buffy told him, keeping her voice low. "He guarded me while I got Jesse to the hospital. He came to help Giles with the research today…he wants to help." Xander's eyes darted around a little, not willing to accept what she was saying. "We can use him…"

"How does a vampire get a soul? I thought you said they lost them."

"I don't know," Buffy told him honestly as he relaxed slightly. "But I do know that I'll take advantage of it if it'll keep my friends alive."

Xander sighed. "If it'll keep you alive."

Buffy offered him a small grin. 

"I won't trust him," Xander spoke up again, his voice harsh. 

"You shouldn't. He's a demon." Buffy told him seriously. "And the moment he lets that show, I'll take care of him myself."

"If he hurts you…"

"I'll kill him." The Slayer said. Not Buffy. The Slayer. Xander literally watched the change in her eyes as she darted between the two.

Xander nodded. "Good." He swallowed and grasped her hand that was now resting idle on his stomach and intertwined their fingers, holding them up in front of him. "I like this," he said randomly, but completely sincere in his change of subject. 

"Yep," Buffy agreed watching him. Not caring who might see them. She actually hoped Scott might, just because maybe then he might leave them alone.

"So after this…Harvest," Xander spoke a little unsurely. "Would you want to…"

"Want to what?" Buffy grinned while glancing to her left.

"To go…to the Bronze?"

"We do that anyway."

"As friends." Xander said quickly. "We could go more togethery…if you want."

"Alone together?"

Xander nodded. "And if you wanted to do that…I would feel more comfortable about asking you to Winter Fest…"

"Are you asking me to those things?"

Xander shrugged. "I dunno. Are you accepting?"

"You haven't asked." Buffy smiled as she felt his thumb rubbing lightly over the back of her hand.

"Well, if I did…we'd be like, dating. Like boyfriend and girlfriend. Like we talked about before…"

"Are you asking?" Buffy repeated.

"Yes." Xander said quickly, not looking directly at her.

"Yes what?"

"You're a brat, you know that?" he shot up at her and earned an innocently sweet smile. "Fine," Xander snuggled down further in her lap and held her hand tighter while he met her eyes. "Buffy," he took a deep breath. "Do you want to…uhmmm, go…"

"GUYS!!!!!"

Both Buffy and Xander's heads snapped up to see Willow rushing towards them across the quad. 

"What's the matter?" Buffy asked at the panicked look in her friends eyes. "What happened?"

"Something weird is going on," she told them. Willow was working hard not to focus on the fact that Xander was lying in Buffy's lap and holding her hand comfortably. They, after all, didn't seem to care, as they had not changed their positions.

"What?" Buffy asked tensing, tugging on Xander's hand so that he sat up, and he complied. "What's going on?"

Willow's mind was racing, trying to word the muttled facts she had and be able to voice her would be suspicions. "Cordelia," she decided to start from the beginning, "She said…she said last night…" 

"What happened?" Xander pressed at her obviously distraught tone. He just hoped he sounded sincere more than pissed, because truth be told, he was tittering on the edge of both. 

"She said Jesse was at the Bronze." Willow spit out. 

"What?" Buffy stood to her feet, a most serious expression in place.

"I believe her," Willow breathed out, looking directly into Buffy's eyes. "I wanted to think it was a joke…"

Xander's breathe had caught in his throat. The boy he had bumped into…the one he had thought was Jesse the previous night…

He watched the fear in Willow's eyes. The mixture of fear and pain in Buffy's. And he _had seen Jesse the night before, and he was terrified. "He's one of them?" he asked shakily as he stood up next to Buffy. _

The Slayer was in place behind the mask of vacant eyes.

"One of who?" Willow asked confused.

"Cordelia saw him?" Buffy asked instead. "At the Bronze?" Her mind was working ferociously. Angel said that they would need an army – the Bronze could provide that. If that was where the Harvest was going down – he could have been involved in casing it…

He was her friend. Her best friend. And she had let him die. Let him be turned into…into a monster. Who knows how many murders she had let him commit. How many people died at the hands of the body of her best friend now turned evil. Buffy's chin shook. "We need to go to the library," she said uneasily while not focusing on either of her friends as she grabbed her bag from the ground.

"And Percy," Willow said again as she watched the two gather their things to go inside. "He's not here today…nobody has seen him…"

"Library," Xander reiterated to her and let his hand fall to the small of Buffy's back, guiding her along a little bit. He looked back over his shoulder and spoke to Willow. "We're going to work this out. Don't worry," he assured.

Willow nodded and Buffy spoke. "Giles'll know what to do. He'll tell us," she still couldn't completely focus on anything other than that Jesse was a vampire. Evil. And she'd have to kill him before he hurt anybody…himself…

"The librarian?" Willow questioned, jogging to keep up with the quick pace they had set.

"It's a long story," Buffy said distractedly. "And you're going to have to hear it."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The End Part 14d


	18. Before the Fall of Rome Part 14e

Title: Before the Fall of Rome

Author: Brooke 

Email: yabbadabbadome13@yahoo.com 

Rating: R

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. I wished I owned the two Xanders' from "The Replacement" though. Buffy and friends are owned by Joss, Mutant Enemy, 20th Century Fox, The UPN and whoever else has rights to the show. 

Summary: You remember all that crap that started post-puberty…yeah, it's great isn't it. It was when life started

Distribution: I don't know why anybody would want this, but if somebody does…sure. 

Feedback: Definitely!! Tell me if it sucked or if you liked it. Whatever. Just write back!

Authors Note: Takes place in an AU season 1 where Buffy and Xander are best friends and Willow is the new girl as Sunnydale High. It is the beginning of their sophomore year and, as 15 and 16 year olds, hormones and feelings are taking center stage.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Wow," Willow said still with wide eyes as she scanned the area of the Bronze from her table with Xander. "Vampires? For real vampires…"

She had been commenting on them since that afternoon so he had reduced his responses to simple nods for the sake of time and breath. This time was no different as Xander kept his eyes focused on the stage.

He had since gotten past the whole vampire spiel…well, it still weirded him and he was wigged beyond words, but right at that moment he was more tuned into when Buffy would get there than the whole Harvest deal. She had gone home after school to put in her family time and collect some weapons, and had told him to try to relax for a few hours before it was work time, but he was having no such luck.

"Do you think that they have us surrounded right now?" Willow questioned, suddenly sounding worried. "Is this Harvest happening already, doya think?"

And Willow wasn't helping.

"I hope not," Xander swallowed and ran his hand through his hair. "But thanks for making me think about it."

Willow rolled her eyes.  "Oh please, Xander. You should thank me for making you think about something other than Buffy for a few minutes."

Xander shot her a look through slit eyes and she kept talking to defend her comment. "I just found out that the end of the world could be tonight, but what's the first thing you do before we get here tonight? Get a hair cut. And why? Cuz she mentioned that you were too scruffy. You can't even manage a minor wig over your impending demise."

"I'm wigged," Xander pouted. "Is the hair ok though?"

Willow sighed and picked up the drink she had ordered while they were waiting. "It's great. You're a million times hotter now," she said mechanically, not even glancing at Xander's new shorter and more gelled hair cut.

Xander seemed not to notice her lack of enthusiasm and nodded to himself with a wide smile. "I like it too." He looked around the club for any new suspicious activity. Finding none he glanced at his watch and then to the door. "Buffy said to call if stuff starts going down early…"

"And Angel said he'd be near by," Willow looked up to the balcony while Xander let out a snort of disgust. "What? Buffy told him to be here for back up."

"Yeah, some help that guy is." Xander took a sip of his iced coffee. "Buffy says to wait here for the added muscle, and all he can think about is trying to walk her here. She doesn't need his help…"

Willow cocked an eyebrow at him, "Yeah, but he agreed," and then added under her breath, "Jealous boy."

Xander shook his head and ignored her comment, "We just need more help, that's all."

"At least she'll be here soon too." Willow sighed, not finding Angel anywhere in the club. "Then she can pull the superhero, I can see a vampire, and she'll compliment your new hair. Then you'll be happy again."

Xander smirked, "I'm happy now. Aside from being on a razors edge from crapping my pants, I'm ecstatic."

"What if Buffy doesn't get here in time?"

"She will." Xander said confidently. "She's probably on her way right…" he trailed off as he watched Jeff, Cordy and their crew walk into the club; everybody Buffy had mentioned would be going out that night, and suddenly Xander wished vampires would come and take care of those asses. 

Willow watched his eyes grow darker while he watched the other teens. "Wouldn't it be easier to just tell her parents that she doesn't have time to bond tonight cuz of an apocalypse and all?" she asked to offer him a distraction. She could tell since this afternoon that something was bothering him, and she had pinpointed it to Buffy's tall dark helper man who Xander had commented 'always appeared out of nowhere'.

"Would you buy that?" he asked offhandedly. "I know I'd have you put away for being delusional."

Willow swallowed and turned her gaze to the table, not liking the suddenly cold Xander Harris that she was sitting with. "I'm gonna go call her," she said standing up; wanting to get away from the table for a little while, but Xander didn't seem to notice. "Make sure she's trying to hurry." Xander just nodded without looking at the red head as she headed away from the table.

~*~*~

"Hmmmm…stakestakestakestake…" Buffy mumbled to herself as she wandered around her bedroom trying to find the appropriate weapons to take with her to the Bronze. For a vampire slayer she always seemed to misplace her tools of the trade, and she hated making more, as Giles had added wood working into her job description.

Buffy dropped to her knees beside her bed and lifted the duvet so she could see underneath. "Score," she whispered as she pulled one out and examined it.

"Buffy sweetheart?"

The Slayers head snapped up as the greeting preceded the opening of her bedroom door and her mother walked in. "I was thinking…what's that?" Joyce asked as her thought diverged from her original intent when she saw her daughter sitting kneeling on the floor holding a wooden pike.

Buffy's eyes widened and she glanced at the stake, "Ummmm…" she sputtered for an explanation. "Woodshop," she settled on finally with an uneasy grin. "I'm making a really little fence."

"Ok," Joyce's brow furrowed but she shrugged it off. 

"What were you thinking?" Buffy asked to change the subject as she stood up and tossed the stake onto her bed. She started towards her closet as her mother spoke so that she wouldn't have to be visually dissected at the inane excuse she had used to cover herself with.

"Oh, yes," Joyce smiled. "Do you want a driving lesson tonight? You can run me to the pizza place and we can pick up dinner. Then I thought we could stop by the Blockbuster and pick up a video."

Buffy stopped rummaging through her clothes and frowned slightly. It was only rare occasions that she got offered a chance to drive; it usually involved more begging on her part. And now she couldn't even take advantage of it. "I can tonight Mom," she said quietly and watched Joyce's face fall. 

"Why not?" she asked while Buffy pulled out a pair of leather pants and tossed them onto her bed. "You're going to take the test soon aren't you? You've been talking about this since you were thirteen."

Buffy sighed with her back turned and pulled a white tank top out of her dresser. "I can't tonight. I'm busy…"

"You're going out?" Joyce asked incredulously. "You know Friday's are family nights…"

Buffy turned and forced on her best innocent smile. She would rather be trapped on a desert island with her family for a year than have to go out and fight the forces of darkness and she hated having to pretend that that wasn't the case. "I promised Cordy and some of the other girls I'd meet them there…" she pouted, "Can I please go? I won't stay out long."

Joyce shook her head, hating to deny her daughter anything, especially when she pouted like that. She had to wonder when exactly her little girl learned to pull out the big guns to get what she wanted. "Cordelia?" she asked instead. "I would have thought…"

"I know." Buffy cut her mother off. She knew that her mom wasn't fond of the other girl who had been her friend in elementary school. Buffy had come home crying too many times at the end of that friendship for Joyce to ever want her to have any other contact with the brunette cheerleader, but, it seemed that one thing was impossible to ignore. Buffy and Cordelia had been friends because they were similar – were and are, and they would always be in contact becausae of it. "But there's other guys going to. It's a group thing that I'm supposed to participate in."

 "11." Joyce settled, and let further explanation slide. Buffy was growing up and could have the relationships she wanted. "And not a minute later. You can still watch the second movie with us." But that didn't mean that as a parent she couldn't curtail the experience with curfew.

Buffy rolled her eyes but decided against arguing to get a better compromise. "Thanks Mom." She swallowed and shifted from foot to foot while her mother stood in front of her. "I'm gonna change now…"

Joyce jumped, "Oh, right. Right." She stepped back into the hall. "Let me know before you leave then."

"Kay," Buffy smiled sweetly as her mother prepared to close her door, but stopped when she became distracted by the chair by her desk. "Is that Xander's?" she pointed to the Sunnydale High swim jacket draped over the back of the chair.

Buffy followed her line of vision with wide eyes and started working on an excuse for that. "Um, yeah." She skipped to the desk and scooped it up, "He leant it to me the other night…" Left here last night…

Her mother nodded again and studied her fidgeting teen. The jacket hadn't been there yesterday when she had put Buffy's clothes away, and she hadn't gone out last night…and the abnormal 80 degree day that they had today wouldn't require anyone to need outerwear. All in all Joyce didn't buy what she was being fed and Buffy's demeanor only fueled her suspicions. She held her gaze letting her daughter know that while she was quietly accepting what she had said, she didn't necessarily believe her.

Buffy swallowed nervously and slipped the jacket on, "I'd better wear it so I don't forget." Joyce slit her eyes and simply shut the door, finally allowing Buffy to let out a breath as she fell to her side onto the bed.

~*~*~

"Where is she?" Whistler looked nervously up and down the street. "They're on their way."

Angel sighed and followed his friends line of sight from the direction they thought Buffy would be coming from. "I know," he said calmly, "She's probably on her way. I mean, Harris and the Willow are inside. She's not going to set them up for a fall…"

"Why are they even involved?" Whistler said over his shoulder to the vampire. "It's written about a Slayer, not a Slayer and her goddamned friends." The demon whirled to face Angel, "Did you tell her that? Did you tell her that she'll see those kids to an early grave?"

Angel sighed and let his head drop. "You and I both know that she won't listen to me. And apparently she won't listen to her Watcher either. She's doing what she wants…"

"She's going to have blood on her hands."

"I'll have it on mine," Angel defied sadly.

"Listen man," Whistler said quietly, "Don't let this girl destroy you. You can only do so much without her help…"

Angel looked up at the other man. "Are you suggesting that I let them die?"

"I'm suggesting that you realize that you can only help so much," the shorter demon clarified. "Take it however you want, but if she won't listen, she'll learn the hard way."

Angel's heart clenched at what was being suggested. He didn't know why he had expected any different; Whistler was against what he had planned to do from the start. The demon whose job it was to balance out the forces of good and evil even seemed to hate the righteous side of the equation…hated the power she had over him, probably. Where Angel went, Whistler went; and not where Buffy went, they both followed. But he didn't understand…couldn't even, because Angel couldn't even explain it correctly. He didn't get it himself.

All that was clear was that Buffy would not die because Angel refused to let that happen. If that meant he had to become her personal bodyguard, then so be it. If it meant that he would have to tolerate and even save Xander Harris to protect his Slayer, he'd do that too. Because weather she knew it, or liked it, or even accepted it, Buffy was his Slayer and had been since she was just a regular girl.

"If you don't like it…"

"I'm here for you, Angel. I'm here to save you because the Light needs ya."

"It needs her." Angel argued. "I need her."

Whistler shrugged, "So it doesn't matter what I like."

Angel nodded and looked back down the dark street. He could hear it – them. Lots of them heading towards the club, and he hated that Xander had been right. That he had been out witted by the teen nobody whom Buffy seemed dependent on. "We're all on the same side," the vampire whispered, "We all wan the same thing. We want to destroy them all."

"No," Whistler shook his head and spoke to himself while his companion paid him no attention. He was on high alert, the hairs on his neck standing on end. "You want the girl."

~*~*~

"She not there," the former computer geek said nervously when he stumbled back into the lair and confronted Luke. "Buffy's not at the club…"

"WHAT?!" the little boy hollered. "What do you mean she's not there?! It's almost time and she hasn't shown." He turned to Luke, "You said that it was guaranteed that Angel would tell her."

"It was…is," Luke rolled his eyes and pushed his way past the news bearing fledgling that had been apart of Jesse's rampage the night before. "She has to know."

"Well," Percy spoke up from corner of the dark room, "I know Buffy, and the girl is chronically late." He flexed his arms a little feeling the strength rippling through them, the slight tingle in his face as it slipped in and out of its demonic visage. He had no idea what happened to him, but that last he remembered Jesse had asked to speak to him outside…dead Jesse. And then he had gotten a 2x4 to the face – now…now he couldn't feel anything…now he could feel everything. And apparently they were going into battle and he was on the front lines. Percy couldn't wait. He could almost feel the terror that was about to ensue, hear the screams, taste the life…the blood that would flow at his beck and call.

"Where's that imbecile?" Luke asked ignoring Percy's input. "This is his plan. He picked these kids and called them an army…"

"They are." Jesse countered stepping out of his bedroom and adjusting a worn leather jacket. "Like?" he asked Luke with a grin as he turned, "I found it on a quaint little shop keep. Never heard a man scream like that," he laughed.

"Listen," Luke started, "We don't have time for this. You've made a shambles of…"

"Buffy'll be there, my man. Bet on it." Jesse said calmly. "Words' gotten around. She knows what's going down, and that if she doesn't stop it it'll be on her head…"

"And Xander was there," the scout spoke up gaining the rooms attention. "Xander and Willow."

Jesse's face broke out in a wide grin. "Oh yeah, she'll show alright. She's got her feelers out…"

"Two mortal teenagers." The anointed on joined in Jesse's devious enjoyment, "Some team she's got. We'll have their blood and bring hell to earth on her incompetence."

"And two others were outside too," the scout spoke again. "Two men."

"And Angel and his owner…" the Anointed grinned.

Jesse cocked an eyebrow, "Keeps getting better and better."

"When are we gonna motorvate?" Percy asked hopping from foot to foot. "I'm getting a little antsy."

Jesse rolled his eyes and turned his back to the jock. "Have another hostage," he said dismissively with a wave of his hand, not looking as he heard a low growl followed by a high pitched scream. "The time is coming."

Luke sighed letting it be known how much he despised everyone in the room. He hated having to play along with these children when it should be him in charge. But that would change soon. Soon the Master would rise and he would stand at his side. All these fledglings would feel the wrath of his years of murder and torture, his experience. He was better than they could ever hope to be and he would show them by sun up. "She had better be there," he growled.

Jesse set his eyes with the elder vampire. "Buffy's mine," he said in a low voice. "When the Slayer shows she's mine."

"Her blood will flow for the Master," Luke boomed. "This is not about you!"

Jesse bit his lip and glanced momentarily at the floor at the loud commanding tone, but then snapped his eyes up to meet Luke's, "It will be for the Master. The battle will be for me."

Luke sighed. He remembered his first fight with the newly minted Slayer, and she was strong then. She was smart, resourceful. She had gotten in a few punches that had startled him, at almost three times her size; and she had recovered from his blows with surprising resilience. The Slayer was cocky, yes; but, and Luke hated to admit it, for good reason. "You think you're ready to fight the Slayer? To win?"

Jesse nodded.

"She is kinda tiny," Percy agreed through a mouth that was full.

"Not Buffy," Luke told them. "The Slayer. You'll be killed."

Jesse shrugged and fixed him with a defiant smirk, "Or she will." He was determined that one of them would not walk out of the club tonight – and even more so that it would not be him. Jesse knew that he had the upper hand. Not only was an unsuspecting Willow and Xander waiting unprotected, but Buffy would be face with her greatest failure to date. Her best friend who she couldn't save. Jesse had her beat…if they left now Buffy would be defeated before she even began the fight.

"When you fail, I'll be there to sweep up your ashes…and claim your prized kill." Luke licked at his fangs. "And my world will be a better place for your passing."

Jesse smiled broadly at Luke's back as the older vampire walked to the entrance to the lair, heading above ground. "I knew you'd see it my way." He then turned to face the newly risen…his army of 35 scattered about the room. He eyes each of them, confident in his control over them – his former peers, the kids who had made his life a living hell. "No personal kills," he instructed, "It's all for the Master." He received a series of nods from boys who had stolen is girlfriends and his lunch money; who had made fun of him every day since he had moved to Sunnydale in the 5th grade. "Let's do this gentleman," he beckoned as he followed Luke's path, the Anointed beside him. 

"Darla!" he suddenly remembered and the female vampire strolled into the main room. She joined him at the gaping mouth of the damp room. "You're not gonna wanna miss this show, babe," Jesse slipped into vampire face with a grin as he grasped her hand and led his troops to the streets of Sunnydale.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The End Part 14e

Up Next: The Harvest fight scene and such.


	19. Before the Fall of Rome Part 15

Title: Before the Fall of Rome (15/?)

Author: Brooke 

Email: yabbadabbadome13@yahoo.com 

Rating: R

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. I wished I owned the two Xanders' from "The Replacement" though. Buffy and friends are owned by Joss, Mutant Enemy, 20th Century Fox, The UPN and whoever else has rights to the show. 

Summary: You remember all that crap that started post-puberty…yeah, it's great isn't it. It was when life started

Distribution: I don't know why anybody would want this, but if somebody does…sure. 

Feedback: Definitely!! Tell me if it sucked or if you liked it. Whatever. Just write back!

Authors Note: Takes place in an AU season 1 where Buffy and Xander are best friends and Willow is the new girl as Sunnydale High. It is the beginning of their sophomore year and, as 15 and 16 year olds, hormones and feelings are taking center stage.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"There's a door in the back, I'm going to unlock it," Buffy commented to Giles as he pulled his car to a stop outside the club. "You help Xander and Willow get everybody out."

Giles faced her only to see she was focused on the entrance, "I'll also be at your disposal should you need back up."

Buffy whipped her head around to face the older man. "No. I fight." She tucked an extra stake into a sheath on her ankle and readjusted her pants. "The hand to hand is me and Angel…"

"I don't think you can…"

"I can count on him Giles," Buffy raised her eyes and admitted. "He won't let anything happen…Plus, I'd rather him block the punches with his face than you with yours. You just make sure they get out."

Giles nodded and Buffy open her door before he could respond. She leant back into the car form the street, "I'm going to go find Angel. I told him to be out here."

"Buffy!" Giles called hopping out of the car before she walked away and the Slayer turned to face him. He fixed her with a look, unsure of what exactly to say, and not finding the customary 'good luck' sufficient.

She held her Watcher's gaze, "Wait for my signal before you come in," she spoke while acknowledging his unspoken message. "I don't want to be too conspicuous."

Giles nodded and watched the girl walk down the street until she reached an alley and stopped suspiciously. She looked down it and paused a moment longer before starting determined down it. Giles was still amazed that despite her youth and her stubbornness she was proving to be very capable; even more so than she would ever want to purposely portray. "Good luck," he whispered before he ducked back into the car and grabbed a small duffel bag of weapons and heading down the adjacent alley to the back entrance. 

~*~*~

"Knew I could count on you," Buffy said snidely as she approached Angel, watching as he pushed himself away from the wall and faced her nervously. 

"Yeah, well…I …"

"Thanks," she muttered and shifted on the balls of her feet. 

Angel nodded, but Whistler stepped from behind him and spoke. "You're late girly," he bit out, "You itching to see you little boyfriend die?"

Buffy slit her eyes and glared at the man behind the tall vampire, "Excuse me, but who are you? And more importantly why are you talking to me when I didn't say anything to you?"

"Whistler," the shorter demon spoke with a heavy accent while ignoring Buffy's tone. "I'm here with my boy, Angel."

"Oh great," Buffy sighed out sarcastically, "More of Angel's friends. What?" she turned to the vampire, "Do your friends always come bearing death, destruction and hell on earth, or is it just for me?" 

"No offense," Whistler spoke up, "But if anyone dies tonight it'll be because you're out here tossing one liners and not trying to protect anybody."

Buffy sneered and turned back to Angel, not wanting to speak to the other man. "Tell your friends that I'll start doing my job by wiping them out one by one."

"Look, you told him to be here…"

Buffy couldn't believe that this man insisted on still speaking but fired at him, "He told me to be here. For all I care I can go home…as a matter of fact, I think I'll just…"

"You love to hear yourself talk," Whistler rolled his eyes and turned away.

"Why don't you just stop the Harvest yourself then," Buffy shot out with her hands on her hips. "You just show up and start criticizing me. You don't even know me."

"I'd beg to differ," Whistler began but Angel jumped into the conversation.

"I can't stop it," he admitted in a low tone and Buffy turned to face him.

"Why not?" she asked snidely, "You're the big bad vampire…"

"I'm afraid." He said point blank. "I don't want to be responsible for what can happen – what will come."

Buffy snorted out a bitter laugh, "Well, apparently 'Responsibility' is my new middle name." She sighed and Angel could detect the sadness with in the exhalation. It seemed to her that she was always fine until she had to admit what she was; that she wasn't a normal girl hanging out at the club with her friends, celebrating that end of another week – a week that she had risked her life every night to reach the end of. "There's a skylight up there," the Slayer gestured towards the roof of the club and Angel raised his head to follow her gesture. "Giles is coming in through the back; you guys can come in from up there…"

"Oh no, kiddo," Whistler shook his head and backed away from the pair with his hands raised. "I'm outta this."

Angel watched him retreat in silence, but Buffy spoke in disbelief. "You're not even going to help?!" She turned to the silent vampire, "You need to grow a pair. You hang out with the most useless scum…"

Angel whirled to face her, "I could say the same to you," he spoke before thinking and Buffy reared in defense.

"Don't even," she said simply. "Just don't."

"Listen love birds," the New Yorker interrupted earning two scowls before speaking to Buffy. "My game is balance – a Brachen Demon if you ever wanna read about us."

"What?" Buffy rolled her eyes, "Is that ancient speak for lazy?"

"No," Whistler shook his head calmly. "Just means I can't take up sides…"

"You're here with him," Buffy pointed at Angel. "He's a good guy right? You can't possibly be pro evil?"

"I'm here with him," he copied her tone, "because the good needs him." He paused for a moment, "You need him." Buffy opened her mouth to protest but the other man kept speaking, "I brought him to you, weather or not you use him is up to you. I'm out of it."

Buffy shook her head in disbelief, "Whatever. If you're not going to help then get the fuck out of here. I don't have time…"

"Not a problem," Whistler smirked and headed back out of the alley, making sure to collide shoulders with the teenaged girl. "If I don't hear for you, I'll assume you lost," he called back before vanishing into the street.

"Real personable guy," Angel tried to force out a smile at Buffy's obviously pissed mood, but it always felt unnatural and he let it fall.

"Wait for my signal," she ignored him. "Only you and me are here to fight, got that?"

"So watch Xander." Angel stated dejectedly.

Buffy didn't answer as she turned determinedly and walked out of the alley leaving the vampire alone. She didn't look back and turned to corner headed for the main entrance of the club. It was still open, so she assumed that everything was still normal, which was for the best because now she had a few minutes to check on her friends.

~*~*~

Just my luck, Buffy cursed as she was waved into the club and was greeted first by the shrill voice of Cordelia Chase in mid criticism.

"A tank top?" the head cheerleader approached her right off the bat, as if she had been waiting for the blond to walk through the door. "And Xander's jacket?" she reached out and flipped up the collar snidely, "That's what you picked to wear? You have to go home…"

"Cordelia," Buffy sighed in a tone reflective of her mood, "Not tonight."

The taller girl grabbed the Slayer's arm as she tried to pass and stopped her, "Yes tonight." She growled out with a tight smile, "I told you…"

"And I'm telling you," Buffy yanked her arm away hard and the other girl almost fell due to the force used. "I can't tonight."

Cordelia sneered at her former friend, "And just when I think you've redeemed yourself," she shook her head in distaste. "Maybe you should just go mingle with your kind, Freak." She waved Buffy off and walked away before she could speak. "I'll just tell Jeff that not even he can save the terminally losered…waste of time…" the girl muttered loud enough for Buffy to hear as she headed back to her group.

Buffy sighed and searched for Xander, ignoring the departing girl. Sometimes the only way to get thru to Cordelia was to smack her in the face with your response, and worry about the retribution later. Buffy spotted her friends in the corner of the club, sitting on opposite side of the table and looking extremely uncomfortable. Little did anybody outside of Buffy's inner circle know, tomorrow might not come. The Slayer shook her head and headed towards her group with a determined stride, hoping that she could get in and out without having to run into anymore of Cordy's lackeys and without having to sacrifice their lives to do so.

"Guys!" Buffy called out as she slide up to the side of the table, noticing Willow's relived smile that somebody had come to detract the lack of conversation. 

"Buffy!" the other girl greeted, and the Slayer could read in her eyes that they would be talking later. "I called you sooooo many times…" She glanced briefly a Buffy's coat but picked up her withering grin quickly; it was no use denying the inevitable. Not when Buffy didn't care, Xander was practically posting sings…and demons were walking the earth. The demons were very distracting, indeed.

Xander turned and faced her with a tender smile, "We thought you'd forgot that you had to save the world tonight."

Buffy rolled her eyes and punched him lightly on the shoulder, gripping the cuffs of the large jacket in her fists. "Nope," she shook her head, "Just got caught up in Mom bondage…bonding…type stuff…" her brow furrowed as she worked out her explanation and Xander watched her intently for a bit. "Then I had to direct my troops outside," she refocused. "You guys ready?" she directed the question to Willow who nodded enthusiastically and held up the stake Buffy had given her earlier.

Xander reacted quickly and grabbed the red heads wrist, lowering her hand. "Secret Wills."

"Oh, yeah," Willow diverted her eyes sheepishly. "Sorry."

Buffy simply shrugged and leant into Xander's shoulder to offer him some assurance. She had known him her whole life and had never seen him as nervous as she had the past few weeks, he was always tense and on alert. "No probs Willow." Buffy looked morosely around the crowded low lit room, "They're going to see a hell of a lot more in a few minutes."

Xander swallowed and wrapped his arm low around Buffy's waist, pulling her into a slight sideways hug. "Don't worry Buffster," he comforted and then nodded to Willow. "We're all here…the whole gang."

"Yeah," Willow piped in brightly. Her excitement brimmed from sheer terror and adrenaline, "You're the Slayer, and we're…we're like your Slayerettes…"

Xander managed to shoot her a real smile and Willow melted a little, her previous anger dissipating a little. "Good one Wills. The Slayerettes."

"And Angel's here, so he'll be all grrrrr," she continued and got a begrudging nod from Xander. "And then you'll be all HIYA!"

Buffy trued to contain her chuckle as the people at the next table turned to stare at a blushing Willow. "Sorry," she said, "Again. I'm just…excited. I mean, wow…"

"Vampires," Xander filled in while glancing up at Buffy and Willow nodded.

The Slayer shook her head, "I don't want you guys getting hurt," she told them seriously. "If it gets too hairy, get out."

"What about you?" Willow asked while Xander looked on with a dark concern.

"We'll get you out too," he cut in. "We're not leaving you here…"

"I don't want you guys in the fight," she looked directly into his dark eyes. "You guys just try to empty the club with Giles; me and Angel will take care of the rest."

"What if he's tricking you?" Willow asked skeptically. "Xander said that he knows all about…this…what if he's on their side?"

"He's not." Buffy said confidently for both her friends' benefits. "And I'd rather him get hurt than you," she said looking down at Xander, knowing he'd be the first to rush to her rescue if things started going wrong; but then snapped her head up to Willow, "Either of you. So promise me."

"Promise," Willow said obediently.

"Promise Xan," Buffy pulled away slightly to look him in his diverted eyes. "You'll get out if it gets to choppy."

Xander shook his head dismissively, "Yeah" he shrugged. "Whatever."

Buffy accepted his almost sworn word with a nod. "You guys both armed?" she spoke in a low voice and received affirmatives. "When Giles gets in he's got some more fire power."

"Holy water, garlic…the nines," Xander informed Willow as he watched her eyes dart around the club.

Buffy nodded and shrugged her shoulders, remembering that she was still wrapped in the warmth of the Xander smelling jacket. "You left this," she said distractedly as she shrugged it off and handed it to him. She secretly enjoyed the look that her friend got in his eyes whenever she moved now. She had noticed it before, but it was always disguised. As of late he didn't seem to care that she knew – wanted her to know that he was fascinated by her. 

Xander took the garment numbly, not focusing on it as she thrust it into his lap. "You're lucky coat, right?" she asked and he nodded in response. "Then put it on and let's rock this."

Willow took an audible deep breath in preparation and Buffy shook her head. "It'll be alright, Wills. I won't let anything happen to you," she assured.

"Me either," Xander spoke, having cleared his head. 

"I'm going to go clear Giles' way," Buffy told them, fighting off the shiver at the loss of the jacket. Xander noticed the shake in her voice but she spoke again before he could. "You guys stay here until I signal you. I want you as discrete as possible, especially since Jesse…" she swallowed but set herself. "He'll probably be looking out for you." 

Both the other teens nodded and Buffy stepped back from the table, casting both of them lingering looks. "We're going to do this guys, alright. I've got it under control."

Willow's chin shook while Xander seemed content to believe what Buffy told him no questions asked. It seemed to her that Buffy was assuring herself more than them, and that wigged her out more than she'd like.

"Uh, Buffy," Xander called just as she had nodded to them and turned away from the table, obviously heading to the rear of the club. 

"Yeah, Xan?" the blonde turned around with raised eyebrows.

"I…ummm…Good luck. I mean…yeah," he let out a nervous chuckle and his eyes darted around the room. 

Buffy smiled shyly while her friend stepped out of the way of a group of teens that had passed in front of him. "Thanks," she whispered. "You too. Both of you," she added to Willow.

"Alright," Xander sighed. "Yeah…" 

Buffy moved to continue her path but then stopped suddenly to face her best friend again. "And Xan," she called out gaining his attention. 

"Hmmm?"

"I like the hair."

Xander let out a genuine smile and laughed a little, running his hand over it. "Wills picked it out," he admitted shyly.

"Good job Wills," Buffy agreed and smiled at her.

"And it's just a little crunchy, but not too much," Willow elaborated. "He's gonna need upkeep help, but he said something shorter."

"Well we'll have to stay on top of that then," Buffy gave a tight lipped grin. "I'm gonna go," she hitched her thumb to the back of the club and her friends nodded as she turned and walked away.

Buffy was cutting through the crowd with only minor difficulty since she was still trying to avoid Cordy by sticking to the walls. She could feel the demons all around her. All so close that they were practically under her skin - the smallish club was packed with them, she was pushing through them to get to the door; cold clammy skin of dead bodies still animated. She hadn't mentioned anything back at the table because she didn't want her friends to be even more worried, but the stench that only she seemed to be able to detect was so thick she could hardly breathe. The Slayer was pushing Buffy down, dying to come out. To fight. To kill. The instinct was fast overcoming morality and humanity, and it was unlike anything she had ever felt before. Buffy felt so different right now than she ever had since she had been called; so much more powerful.

"Buff," she stopped at the familiar voice and turned to see Xander pushing past people – demons – to get to her. He didn't even detect the low angry growls that were following him. He didn't notice the looks of pure hunger and devious vengeance in the eyes of the ones he had bypassed and Buffy fought with everything in her to keep from blowing her cover too soon in his defense. 

"Xander," she started, "I told you to stay at the table. You shouldn't leave Willow…"

He quickly interrupted her by thrusting his jacket back at her. "It's my lucky coat," he said shyly, eyes focused on the ground before darting around. Xander looked up and saw Buffy staring at his hand, "It can be lucky for you too." 

Xander swallowed as Buffy looked at him confused before reaching out and taking the jacket. "Plus," he continued nervously as she slid it back on, "It looks cuter on you."

Buffy couldn't hold back the grin that broke out on her face, "Thanks."

"No problem," Xander shrugged and took a hesitant step forward before stopping himself and backing up. "I'm…I'm gonna go…back…to Willow and the table…"

Buffy watched him fiddle with his hands before jamming them into his pocket and could match his nervousness. "Xan," she called tentively making him stop.

"Yeah?" he chirped and took a small step towards her.

The Slayer swallowed slightly and then looked her friend in the eyes. "Kiss for luck?" She didn't care who saw, she had to fight to save the world, she could die any given night, and she would do whatever the hell she wanted. As long as it was away from Willow for the time being – she still hadn't worked that out. Plus, what's one little good luck peck going to do, it could be a friendly hug gone awry. And then her breath halted and Xander's lips were on hers. A light brush before closing on her upper one as he held her face. Buffy opened her mouth slightly and licked his bottom lip, their tongues pushing against each other for a brief moment before pulling away. Their first public kiss lost in a wave of passing teens and stalking undead. 

"Luck," Xander whispered now, a blissful grin on his face as he seemed to have calmed down slightly.

Buffy bit her lower lip, "Don't need it now."

Xander smiled and turned, knowing that she was watching him head back to the table. He was glad though that his back was turned and that she couldn't see the completely idiotic grin on his face, or the light flush that had tinted his face. He didn't know that his keeping his back turned shielded Buffy's similar state form him.

The Slayer watched her friend slide back into his stool at the table and glance at her standing there quickly before she remembered what she was supposed to be doing. "Door," Buffy whispered to herself as she unlocked the heavy lock and pushed it open slightly, allowing a blast of cool air to calm her momentarily. 

"Did you stop of a song and dance?" Giles questioned sardonically when he saw her appear in front of him. "I've been out here for almost thirty minutes."

"I got distracted," Buffy said weakly before fixing him with a pout. "Sorry."

"Bloody hell," Giles sighed at the doe eyes he had been receiving since he had made himself known as her Watcher. It was a wonder to him that he actually got her to do anything work related since the girl whipped out a pout at everything. "I assume all is arranged?" 

Buffy nodded. "Angel's on the roof," she told him, "I'm going to wait beside the stage. The place is already packed."

"Alright," Giles nodded with a sigh, knowing that she wasn't talking about hormonal teens. His Slayer fixed him with a tight lipped grin and moved to shut the door again. "Buffy," he beckoned before she could, "You'll do great tonight."

The Slayer nodded unable to meet the older man's eyes. "I know."

~*~*~

"You need I.D." the burly doorman said at the large group that had just approached him at his post. They all had their heads down except the one in front, and he gasped at the grotesque features it held.

Luke grabbed the large man in front of him by the throat and shoved him through the door he was supposed to be watching. "Get inside," he growled. 

"What…what's wrong with your face?" the man stuttered as he complied.

"Shut the doors," Luke called out to the group he was with as they flooded into the crowded club unnoticed. "Everybody spread out, block the exits."

"Listen man," the bouncer tried to speak before he was turned roughly around. He was expecting to come face to face with somebody his own size, judging by the force that had been used to turn him, but instead found himself face to face with a short blonde, with mangled features like the rest of her group. "You can't…" he tried to get out but then lost his voice, along with the rest of the feeling in his body.

"Bored now," Darla had sighed loudly, grasping the man by his thick neck and twisting hard. She grinned at the loud snap that followed as the body fell to the ground, and exalted in the shocked gasps of the now frightened teens that jumped out of the way.

Percy appeared beside her and cocked his head at the dead body. "I thought we couldn't kill anybody?" Darla smirked and shook her head, not answering him as she directed some of the minions to clear a path to the stage.

Xander's head had snapped up when he over heard a girl run past him talking frantically into her cell phone. Somebody passed out. At least that's what he had heard, but judging by the amount of people that were now scurrying around the club that was a best case scenario.

He looked wide eyed at Willow, having lost sight of Buffy. "I think this is it."

Willow's heart rate quickened as she watched some of the club goers try and fail to exit from the front doors. She turned to face Xander, but then her breathe hitched in her throat…

"Give the man a prize," the familiar, but now cruel and mocking voce sounded in Xander's ear.

The swimmer turned quickly with a smile at the lost voice to face his friend. Jesse…not Jesse. A thing grinning at him through a monsters mask on Jesse's face, and Xander's smile died. "Man…" he choked, trying to fight back tears.

Jesse shook his head and flung his arm around Xander's shoulder, laughing at his former friend's flinch. "How's it going man?" he grinned in full vampiric visage before turning to Willow. "Red?"

"Jesse?" the girl said sadly, but the vampire just laughed.

"On in the same, guys…only new and improved. And a helluva lot cooler than you poseur pussies'll ever be," he smiled and ran his tongue over his fangs while his arm tightened around Xander's neck. "Always following around after Lord Master Buffy – I'm glad to be outta that, you know?" he asked Xander, who was sitting in silent shock. "But," Jesse prompted himself, "I was never gonna hit that, right Harris? That's gotta be a worthwhile perk. Tapping her for the first time…making her scream…" He laughed again and looked around the club, searching for the Slayer. "Speaking of which, I might look into that before the night is…"

Jesse was cut off when Xander's elbow slammed into his ribs, forcing him to take a step back as he doubled over. "I'm sorry, man." Xander blinked as he stood up quickly and grabbed his stake from his pocket, "But you're not Jesse."

The other boy let his face slide back into human form, detracting Xander with sad eyes. "Yeah I am," Jesse managed to get out as he faced Xander and watched his guard drop. "So c'mon X-man," his foot shot out and hit Xander in the stomach, knocking the wind out of him. "Let's fucking play," his fist landed solidly with the other boy's nose and Xander fell to the ground. "Like when we were kids." He finished with a drop kick to Xander's ribs.

"Xander!" Willow screamed and moved to hop off of her stool to help him, but was held back by a pair of arms around her waist, restricting her movement. 

"Miss me?" Percy's voice sounded in her ear and Willow's heart dropped. She didn't need to see his face to know what he was now. To know what he was there for.

"I got you a gift Wills," Jesse looked her in the eyes. "You don't like it?"

Suddenly the grip around her loosened and disappeared and she fell back into somebody's arms. "Naw," the voce said and helped her stand up. She turned to see Angel meeting Jesse's cold glare, and standing were Percy had been. "Not really her size, ya know?" Buffy's friend added.

Jesse hadn't been paying attention and missed Xander pushing himself up, barreling himself into his stomach and knocking them both to the ground. 

"That's what you get for turning jocks," Angel said over his shoulder as he pulled Willow away. "Help get these people out," he instructed and she nodded numbly.

"Fuck!" Jesse cursed as he kicked Xander off of him after being punched in the mouth. "I'm going to fucking kill you guys!" he yelled and lunched himself at the prone body of his friend.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The End Part 15


	20. Before the Fall of Rome Part 16

Title: Before the Fall of Rome (16/16)

Author: Brooke 

Email: yabbadabbadome13@yahoo.com 

Rating: R

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. I wished I owned the two Xanders' from "The Replacement" though. Buffy and friends are owned by Joss, Mutant Enemy, 20th Century Fox, The UPN and whoever else has rights to the show. 

Summary: You remember all that crap that started post-puberty…yeah, it's great isn't it. It was when life started

Distribution: I don't know why anybody would want this, but if somebody does…sure. 

Feedback: Definitely!! Tell me if it sucked or if you liked it. Whatever. Just write back!

Authors Note: Takes place in an AU season 1 where Buffy and Xander are best friends and Willow is the new girl as Sunnydale High. It is the beginning of their sophomore year and, as 15 and 16 year olds, hormones and feelings are taking center stage.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Ladies and Gentlemen!" Luke roared as he climbed up on stage after pushing his way through the scrabbling teenagers. "There is no cause for alarm," is mouth turned into a demonic grin at the screams when everybody saw his face, fangs bared as he laughed. "Actually, there is cause for alarm. It just won't do any good."

**

Buffy had been headed towards the stage when she stopped, recognizing the vampire that had commanded the attention of the club. The one that had been at the house that night so long ago; and she shivered. He was dangerous, and more than a formidable opponent. 

She had promised that she would kill him, and the Slayer tried to work out a game plan that would bring that promise true tonight because if she didn't than it would undoubtedly be her last night instead.

Buffy started back to the stage but was distracted by a sound from the balcony – a scream, and she turned and sprinted up the stairs. She hadn't planed to protect that area of the club and if she could help it, nobody would die there. She reached the top of the stair and spotted two vampires cornering a group of kids who were probably still in junior high as Buffy couldn't recognize them from campus. 

"Hey!" she shouted and the two male vampires, dressed in old 80's clothes turned to face her with low growls. "Carbon dated much?" she taunted and put her hands on her hips. "If you wanna pick a fight, why don't you pick it with someone who can actually remember parachute pants being in?"

The vampires looked at each other and then back at the petite blonde girl who had so cockily interrupted the feeding. "You might not be enough for the both of us," one commented, ignoring the kids as the used the change in attention to race past them to the steps. "But I guess now you'll have to do," the other growled and charged her. 

He had misjudged what she was capable of as the Slayer as he stopped in shock in front of her, his body disintegrating from the inside out. She had timed his approach to a tee and pulled out her weapon in front of him, making him stake himself because he could not slow himself down in time.

Buffy smirked at his surprised partner as the dust settled in front of her. "Your turn," she grinned and landed a quick front snap kick to the vampires chin, snapping his head back.

He recovered quickly and jabbed her in the face and then landed an uppercut to her ribs. He just wanted to stall enough to get his back to the stairs and get out of there, but the Slayer was strong and he was slowed down when she executed an axe kick to distract him and then a sliding side kick that caught him in the gut.

**

Luke looked around the club, still not spotting the Slayer, but as he glanced towards the back he did see Jesse in some sort of fight. The large vampire narrowed his eyes at the recklessness of the teen before spotting Angel engaged with one of his doormen. It wouldn't do any good, Luke smirked. They were numbered no more than two effectively. He had brought at least forty. 

A teenaged girl was pushed up the steps and onstage with him by Darla, and Luke smiled in thanks. "People!" he boomed, holding his victim by the back of the neck, "Watch me, and learn! Fear," he paused with a grin and sniffed the air around the shaking girl. "Fear is an elixir…like blood." Luke growled and lowered his mouth to the girls neck biting into her flesh, feeding. This is too easy he thought as he pulled away licking his lips and letting the body fall to the ground. He beamed as the ground shook a little, signaling that the prophecy was coming to fruition.

**

The red pool in the center of the floor rippled, its contents boiling from within, and a single pale white hand reached through its depths. 

The empty room quaked as the body emerged.

**

"You all are going to be a part of something spectacular! His ascension!" the older vampire preached under the fearful gazes of the teens. He could feel the change already. "Tonight will be history at its end! Yours," he pointed at Cordelia through a mass of people and beckoned for a minion to bring her up, "will be a glorious sacrifice."

"Cordelia," the vampire greeted from behind her as he grabbed her arm and shoved her in the direction of the stage. "I know how you love helping the needy; you get to be our first volunteer…"

"Get off of me!" Cordelia huffed and tried to free herself. "What's the matter with your face?!" She could vaguely recognize the features of one of her classmates, but could not place the name.

"Hey man!" Jeff shouted now from behind her and the vampire stopped pushing momentarily. "Let her g...mmrrpphh…" he was cut off as he was grabbed from behind and was shoved hard towards the stage.

"Two." Luke smiled, "He will be most appreciative."

Cordelia screamed as she was hoisted up on stage and into Luke's grasp just as the previous body was pulled to the side. "I can feel the Master's power growing!" he shouted in her ear and the cheerleader flinched. "Degradation most…"

He was cut off as one of his minions was thrown over the balcony over head and exploded to dust at his feet. He turned his gaze up and saw her. Buffy vaulted down over the railing, did a mid air somersault and land lightly on her feet in the middle of the pool table in the center of the room.

"I'm sorry I'm late," she said sweetly, "Got a little caught up." Buffy effortlessly executed a round off over the side of the pool table and picked up a cue on the way, landing on her feet and thrusting its end into the heart of a surprised vampire. "Am I interrupting something?" she asked as it exploded into dust and the people around her gasped in awe.

"Oh," Luke sneered and shoved Cordelia forgotten to the side. "Not at all – this is your party." 

Buffy grinned and shrugged her shoulders, spotting a now bloody nosed Xander getting to his feet and seeing Jesse run away, her heart clenching at both sights. She started to the stage after assuring herself that he was alright. She could only hope that Willow and Giles were slowly emptying the club from the back since she saw Angel fighting to open a side door. "And you started without me…that's a tad rude, don't cha think?"

"Preliminaries," Luke cracked his neck. "STOP!" he yelled suddenly causing the Slayer to turn around, coming face to face with a demonic Jesse standing right behind her wearing an evil grin. Obviously intending to attack the unsuspecting Slayer from behind. "She is mine!"

"I called her dude," Jesse whined looking directly into Buffy's eyes before letting his face slip back into human form. Buffy swallowed deeply and her jaw set. "Miss me Buff," her friend smirked.

Buffy's chin shook and she unleashed a cross jab the hit the young vampire in the mouth. "You're not him," she growled at his form as he lay sprawled on the floor. She slid her stake out from her waist band and raised it only to pause at the sound of Luke's voice.

"Come now Slayer," he smiled, "He's the least of your problems tonight."

Buffy whirled on him leaving Jesse on the floor as she refocused on her task of abiding the Harvest. "You want blood, Vessel boy?" she taunted with a tight lipped grin.

"Yours," Luke growled hopping down from the stage to approach her. "Only yours."

Buffy shrugged and slid off the jacket she was wearing and rolled her neck dismissively. "Works for me."

Buffy threw the coat in his face, startling him before launching a full spinning hook kick to the surprised vampires face before he could react. Luke staggered back into a pile of chairs while tossing the garment to the side, but was quickly back on his feet. 

The Slayer fell into a fighting position while her opponent faced her with a low growl. He ran at her swing his fist hard at her head and Buffy ducked standing to her feet again behind him. Luke turned with a vicious backhand punch, but failed as Buffy blocked him and gripped his arm in a vice hold. Buffy pulled him around hard to face her and landed three roundhouse kicks to his stomach before Luke yanked his arm out her grasp and shook her balance.

Buffy steadied herself and took a deep breath, trying to figure out how to beat him. She knew now that given the opportunity she could match him physically, she just had to beat him on her feet. Acting quickly Buffy lunged at him unexpectedly stake in hand and aimed at his heart. 

Luke grinned at her, loving how hard she was fighting. She was thinking too much though. He wanted to beat her and he could read every move she was going to make. He blocked her attack with a hard uppercut to her stomach and the Slayer doubled over momentarily. He quickly grabbed her wrist and yanked her to the side, the stake falling from her hand and clattering to the floor. The Vessel used Buffy's reversed position and lifted her up easily with a firm grasp of her throat and threw her across the room.

Buffy landed hard in a pile of empty boxes to the right of the stage and shook her head to clear it. She pushed herself to her feet and charged back towards the large vampire, glancing out of the corner of her eye to see Xander and Angel had gotten the side doors open and were filing kids outside.

The Slayer's face was set in stone when she faced a grinning Luke again. She spun around and landed a backhand punch to the demons face and it hit so hard that he turned and stumbled into the stage. She had never hit anybody that hard and she was as surprised as he seemed to be as the vampire wobbled back to his feet dazed. 

Buffy used the break that the hit allowed to glance back at her friends. Giles was warding off some vampires from Willow with a cross while she held the door open for fleeing club members. Angel was trying his hardest to block Xander from harm and was heavily engaged with three vampires while the boy focused on the door.

The blonde yelled out, though, when she saw a vampire approach Xander from the side, undetected. "XAN!" she called panicked as he was grabbed and shoved hard into a wall. Acting quickly Buffy vaulted past Luke onto the stage and tore a cymbal from the drum set to her left. "Duck!" she shouted and threw the metal object like a Frisbee at her friend. 

Buffy sighed with a grin when she saw Xander get down just as the cymbal decapitated the vampire right in front of him. 

"Heads up," he joked with wide eyes as the dust rained down at his feet and Buffy smiled momentarily.

Her smile died when she felt two hands grip her ankles and pull, her legs tugged out from under her and she crashed to her back hard with a grunt.

**

"C'mon, let's go, let's go, c'mon, c'mon, c'mon…" Xander whispered harshly while he pushed people out of the door. He was now watching Angel out of the corner of his eye, trying to watch his own back and do what he had promised to Buffy. 

He had seen her get knocked down after she had stopped her own fight to save him and he desperately wanted to make sure she was aright. "Hurry!" he shouted, "Out here, let's go!"

Xander's head snapped up when he heard a girl scream behind him and he looked to Angel to see if he was reacting. The vampire, however, was now up against four, how seemed to care less about the Harvest and more about a personal vendetta against the vampire.

He turned to find it only to find himself faced with Jesse again, this time with Cordelia pinned to the wall just beyond where he stood. Xander abandoned the door as people seemed to have the right idea and charged at his former friend, pulling him away from the brunette cheerleader and pushing him back.

Jesse never lost his smile, even as he watched Cordelia sprint to the door that Xander had just left. "C'mon man," he shook his head while wiping off his shirt. "Cock block, much? I'm just having a little fun."

Xander looked him in the eyes, "You don't want to do this man. They…I think that we can fix you, make you good…" He figured that if Angel could have a soul, why couldn't his friend. Why couldn't Jesse come back despite the demon that was living inside him.

Jesse let out an evil laugh that made Xander flinch. "Fix me?!" He shook his head, "I don't need to be fixed. I'm perfect now, man. Look at me!" The vampire lunched at Xander, now, and pinned him against the wall, "You're gonna wish you were like me when it happens," Jesse growled. "And it will happen. Luke's gonna open it with sweet little Buffy's blood. We'll dance on her grave…well, her charred remains, maybe around her head on a pike…"

Xander shoved him backwards and punched him hard in the face. The vampire laughed as he licked the blood from his own mouth. 

"God, Harris," he grinned, "Did I touch a nerve?"

"Jesse would never say that…"

"Jesse just did," the vampire growled. Xander lashed out again, but Jesse caught his arm and held. The mortal swung his captive limb and propelled Jesse into the opposite wall, freeing himself and pinning the vampire in place. 

"I don't want to have to do this," Xander whispered, using all his strength to keep Jesse from getting away. "I know part of you is still in there…"

Jesse smirked in his face. "Before the end of the night, a part of me is going to be in there," he nodded towards Buffy who was back fighting Luke. He used Xander's unfocused attention and kneed his ex-friend in the groin, doubling him over, so he could jump over him.

The teenaged vampire spotted Darla and headed towards her while she guarded the Anointed One. "They're leaving," she said angrily. 

Jesse nodded. The kids were getting away, and even his army was trying to find an escape at the sight of Buffy being serious competition to the towering Luke. "This isn't going well," he agreed and looked to the little boy for answers.

The boy seemed to remain calm. "Her blood will be enough," he said cryptically. "We only need to break the seal…"

"He's here?" Darla turned excitedly and the boy nodded silently. "He's risen."

"But he's not free." The Anointed spoke. "Luke must kill her."

"Well," Jesse breathed out and watched Buffy land a flying side kick that sent Luke flying back onstage. "As much as I'd like to stay and be obliterated. I think I'll be going…"

Darla looked at him in disbelief. This boy, who had said he would rip the little Slayer's throat out and feed it to her mere hours before, now wanted to run away with his tail between his legs. 

"You will not abandon our cause!" the boys boomed and Jesse smirked.

"Like Hell I won't." Jesse denied. "I'll live to fight another day. It's key to know when to give it up." He turned and ran before either could speak. Luke might die tonight, but he wouldn't. And when that happened, a whole new faction would be free to take over the town. Him and his minions who had been filing out of the club just as steadily as the mortals. Come the Harvest or Ascension or whatever, Jesse was determined to see it through and reap its rewards.

"We have to kill him," the Anointed said in a low voice as he watched Jesse slip out side. He saw Angel follow his exit and added, "Or maybe he'll do it for us."

Darla took as unnecessary deep breath and hoped the boy was wrong; Jesse could be powerful and given time, she could rule by his side. She glanced down at the boy and back towards the door that Jesse had left from. "I'm going too," she said as she walked away, leaving the shocked child behind her alone.

**

Luke kicked Buffy hard in the stomach and sent her tumbling to the ground on the other side of the stage. He saw her about to kick flip herself to her feet and leapt across after her, pinning the girl to the ground with his body. "I've always wanted to kill a Slayer. You're blood with make it complete," he growled, leaning over her neck. "Set him free!" 

The vampire roared and leant in to Buffy's throat and she waited. Set herself. When she felt the proximity she snapped her head up and hit him in the bridge of the nose with a front head butt, sending Luke reeling back off of her. Buffy flipped to her feet and glared at him. "How'd it taste?"

Luke scrambled, surprised to his feet while Buffy looked for a weapon. "You're already too late Slayer!" he boomed as she scooped up a microphone stand as he was about to charge her, his anger seeping through his pours. She held the stand out in front of her, stopping him in his tracks.

"You forgot Slayer," the vampire growled. "Metal can't hurt me."

Buffy ignored him and didn't let her stance waiver to show weakness. He was watching her for that, and she had another start to a black eye and a couple of bruised ribs to attest to that. "There's something you forgot about, too," she quipped back in a threateningly sing-songy voice, "Sunrise!"

The Slayer heaved the heavy stand into the glass prop window in the back of the stage and it shattered behind the vampire. She had seen a light shining dimly through it from backstage and hoped it would provide ample distraction to bring this to an end. 

Luke ducked as the glass broke and the bright light bled in from behind him. The vampire recoiled in fear, forgetting about his opponent who had dropped down and slide a new stake out of her ankle holder.

The Vessel shrunk down to shield himself from the suspected sunlight, but realized after a moment that it didn't burn. He stood up confused and studied the window.

Buffy launched herself at the distracted vampire from behind and thrust her stake into his heart, catching him by surprise as he turned to face her. "In about nine hours moron," she smiled.

Luke raised his hands behind him and felt the wood protruding from his back before he stumbled towards the edge of the stage. 200 years of life and blood and victory flashing before his eyes as he fell to his knees. She had killed him. Luke glanced around the club and saw the remaining vampires that had come with him leave, the Anointed over one of their retreating shoulders as he heard him screaming in anger. The vampire shut his eyes and burst into dust, still able to feel the Slayer grinning behind him.

Buffy looked up and saw the remaining teenagers escape the club and her friend and Watcher approach her. "That'll teach you to Harvest my friends," Buffy mumbled as she scooped up her forgotten jacket from the corner of the stage before she hopped down. "You guys ok?"

**

Jesse punched Angel hard in the kidney and into Darla who threw the other vampire into a pile of crates against the alley wall.

He had been ready to escape before the souled vampire had grabbed him, seeming determined to 'do him a favor' by not letting him suffer with vampirism. 

But Jesse didn't want any favors. When he saw Darla emerge from the club before it emptied completely, Jesse realized he didn't need any either. 

The young vampire grabbed Darla's hand when he was the last of the straggler vampires turning the corner in their escape and he glanced to the door, waiting for, but not expecting Luke to emerge, since he had seen on of the minions carrying the Anointed away.

Jesse looked back at a slowly rising Angel and tugged Darla along. "Let's go," he said hurriedly and pulled her down the street, away from the club; fleeing before the other vampire could rise to fight again.

Angel shook his head groggily and watched the two vampires disappear into the street. He didn't know how he'd been bested, but right now it didn't matter. The club had completely emptied and the vampires – the demons bent on bringing hell to earth had just all ran away.

"Well, I'll be damned," he grinned despite himself and rubbed a slightly sore spot from where he had been hit in the back of the head. "She did it." Angel shook his head and headed quietly out of the alley and into the darkness in search of Whistler, grinning all the way.

**

It had been centuries since he had been above ground the Master thought as he ran his hand over the barrier that was still in place. Too long waiting for his time. 

The barrier rippled around his fingers and he slumped back against the wall behind him. Tonight was to be it. Until five minutes ago he could feel it coming. His time for ascension, finally. 

And just like that it had been ripped away. He had felt the stake pierce his Vessel's heart and the desolate emptiness that signaled a future not to be that followed. He knew who to blame too. A Slayer. He would kill her personally.

It would happen. He was not confined to the limitations of Hell now. He was on earth, and he had to accept it as one better than his pervious arrangements. The Master could rule now. Find another way to free himself. He would rise, no matter what the girl did. And she would bleed for him.

~*~*~

_Monday morning…_

"A little lower," Xander groaned and winced. "Ahhhh…right there."

Buffy giggled and pressed her fingers harder into the muscles in his shoulders. She moved them in small circles while Xander leaned back. She was perched on the edge of one of one of the cement slabbed tables while Xander stood with his back to her between her legs and she massaged him.

He had been complaining about his back all weekend and she had offered to help him out. She was obligated, Buffy settled, as it had been her fight that had gotten him hurt in the first place.

Xander jumped and yelped when Buffy's hands slid down and she pressed into his sore ribs.

"Sorry," Buffy said immediately and Xander turned his head slightly to smile his reassurance.

"S'kay, a little higher?" he asked and Buffy complied slowly. "Jesse got a few good shots in," he explained. "I couldn't do it," he said next at her silence, repeating what he had been struggling with for the past two days. The thought of that form of his best friend still out there, killing people, enjoying it. "I had the chance but I couldn't make myself stake him…"

Buffy stopped her massage and gripped Xander's hips, turning him around so she could see his eyes. "It's ok," she said reassuringly. "It's my job…I couldn't either. I was looking at him and he was Jesse…"

"But he's not anymore," Xander shook his head and turned his eyes to the side. "That thing isn't our friend."

"And I'll take care of it." Buffy interjected while reaching up and grabbing Xander's chin, forcing him to look at her. "I'm going to find it and kill it because I'm not going to let him be used like that."

Xander nodded sadly and let his head fall against hers lightly for a moment before pulling away. "Are you done?" he asked next. "I'm still a little sore." Xander had to admit that he liked the couple benefits; he had to because it was all that they had been able to establish. Despite everything that had gone on Buffy still seemed uncomfortable with the verbal recognition that would make the whole thing official. All through the weekend they had talked around it, and all it left them with was 'very best friends'. Not that it was all her fault. He made light of the situation when she seemed to bring it up, as well; almost as if they didn't need to actually say that they were together because everybody should already know; because it didn't matter because it had always been the case.

"When's my turn?" Buffy pouted as Xander turned around and she resumed her ministrations.

Xander let his eyes shut again, "Well, I'll let you know when you're a regular strength guy who gets the crap beat out of him…"

"I need to be a guy?" Buffy questioned from behind her friend.

"Yep," Xander chirped. "Only manly men get massages for hot chicks."

"What if I just want one from you?"

"Oh well, in that case you've just gotta be named Buffy." Xander smiled.

Buffy laughed and pushed him forwards slightly, but Xander resisted the move and leaned further back into her. He laughed when Buffy began tickling his sides through his shirt and squirmed on top of her.

"Well, I heard it was rival gangs," they suddenly heard Cordelia speaking as she walked towards them with her friends. "You know, fighting for turf? But all I can tell you is they were the ugliest guys I've ever seen. And Jesse like ditched Buffy and her group for them so they were going to, like, fight it out or something. Which is just too weird because, what?! Do we really need that type of publicity for our squad. I mean, and I don't even remember that much, but I'm telling you, it was a freak show!"

Buffy stopped tickling Xander and rolled her eyes with a sigh. Now even if she were to become a normal girl again, she'd always be the school freak. Xander peered at her and noticed the change in her mood.

"Who cares," Xander said softly and repeated her chin tilting gesture. "You saved everybody's life. Without you we wouldn't even be alive to have a shitty day of gossip and pubescent torture in school today."

"I guess," Buffy pouted. 

Xander ducked his head and caught her eyes. "You could've let him have just the one more," he joked. "Next time you'll remember that: Don't save Cordelia."

"Hey guys," Willow greeted as she walked up to them slowly with a vacant look in her eyes. "What's up?"

Willow looked around slowly at the high schoolers. The majority of them had been at the Bronze – had been saved by Buffy mere days beforehand, and now they were playing in the sun and joking with their friends like nothing had happened.

"Things shouldn't be the same, you know," Willow faced her two friends without paying attention. She was beginning to get past even caring that she felt numb seeing them together. She had been working to reason her way through the loss of Percy and the loss of Xander, since she never really had either of them.

Buffy shrugged, unwittingly breaking through her friends thoughts, "What exactly were you expecting?"

"I don't know. Something. I mean, the dead rose." She looked around the quad again, "We should at least have an assembly."

"I vote of an honorary day off," Xander suggested and spotted Giles heading towards them. "We have a faculty member on our side," he pointed out. "He can give us clout."

"And he's British," Willow piped up. "They're sophisticated intermediaries."

Buffy narrowed her eyes at her friends, "Oh please. Xander doesn't even know what clout is."

"Sure I do," Xander pouted in her face.

"Oh yeah?" Buffy eyed him skeptically. "What is it then?"

"It's…its like when you…have clout. It's its own word." Xander finished quickly.

"Is that the Webster's definition?" Willow smirked at him good naturedly and Xander stuck his tongue out at her.

"See," Buffy turned to Willow with a bright grin. "Back to normal."

"Morning all," Giles greeted when he reached the table. "I trust you all are well."

"Super," Buffy beamed and leaned back so that she was propped up by her hands. "I saved the world."

"That is pretty exciting. Enough to make the day a little brighter, at least," Xander agreed, turning again and lean back against Buffy's semi-reclined form.

"Well, I'll never forget it, none of it." Willow put in facing the older man and choosing to ignore the display the other two teens were engaged in.

"Good." Giles said removing his glasses and wiping them clean. "Next time you'll be prepared."

"Next time?" Willow squeaked out with wide eyes, "Why a next time?"

Giles sighed and looked at the group of young people, "We've prevented the Master from freeing himself and opening the Mouth of Hell. That's not to say he's going to stop trying. I'd say the fun is just beginning."

Buffy sat up, forcing Xander to move with her so she could slide off of the table.

"More vampires?" Willow asked with wide eyes as Buffy started walking and the rest followed. Xander nodded from Buffy's side before anybody could answer and opened the door for Buffy to enter before him.

"And not just vampires," Giles contradicted. "The next threat we face may be something quite different."

"Yippie." Buffy said sarcastically. "The joy will keep coming."

Giles rolled his eyes at his charge, "We're at the center of a mystical convergence here. We may, in fact, stand between the Earth and its total destruction."

"Well," Buffy shrugged with a nod, "I gotta look on the bright side. Maybe I can still get kicked out of school! I mean, it's only been a few weeks and I've only been grounded twice. And only almost expelled once. That's gotta be an up, right?"

"Oh for sure," Xander agreed, flinging his arm around her shoulders, "Think about it. If you weren't grounded you could be out being lured into sex, drugs, and rock and roll – at least this way you get to be a super hero. Hey! We should get you a coustum…with tights." His smile died at Buffy's frown, "Or a t-shirt?" he offered.

"You could blow something up." Willow suggested. "Not even a hero shirt would save you then. I hear that schools are really strict about that. And you'd get to find out what type of grounding you would get for the destruction of public property." The four reached the library and Giles stopped walking, the teenagers continuing on oblivious.

"I was thinking of a more subtle approach, y'know," Buffy said looking up to Xander at her side and then to Willow. "Like excessive not studying."

Xander beamed and nodded vigorously. "Oh we can all support that!"

Giles watched them turn the corner and shook his head. All so innocent and carefree despite what they had recently been exposed to. Buffy's friends still loyal and willing to risk their lives for her. So young… 

"The Earth is doomed," he sighed and pushed open the swinging door to the library and disappeared inside. Now that they had prevented the Harvest, he had to worry about how to find out how to keep the Master at bay in the future. The journey, Giles hope the children realized, was just beginning. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The End Part 16


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